


Purple Table Talks

by DaKhari



Category: Glee
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, Jane Hayward - Freeform, M/M, Mentioned Finn Hudson, Mentioned Noah Puckerman, Mentioned Santana Lopez
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-10-23
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:02:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 36,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26894866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaKhari/pseuds/DaKhari
Summary: Following a shocking event a group of friends decide to provide a platform for their friend to confront their feelings at this difficult time,  hoping they might all confront their grief and pull each other through. Prompted by a celebrity talk show Mercy steps to the plate, she has an idea that might just work.  But in order to get listeners they need tough topics to be broached, hard truths to be acknowledged and everyone has a secret or two, but will it be the healing process they were hoping for, or detrimental to their relationship, it's a Purple Table Talk show after hours, and no holds barred
Relationships: Artie Abrams/Quinn Fabray, Artie Abrams/Tina Cohen-Chang, Blaine Anderson/Kurt Hummel, Mike Chang/Quinn Fabray, Mike Chang/Tina Cohen-Chang, Quinn Fabray/Matt Rutherford, Rachel Berry/Jesse St. James, Sam Evans/Mercedes Jones
Comments: 4
Kudos: 1





	1. Candyman

**Purple Table Talk**

**Candyman**

"I'm excited for this new venture" Mercy faffed her hair, looking at the opening door "Can I help you baby girl?" she smiled at Riya, their 14 year old who's head popped round the door

"Just came to say good luck guy's I'm rooting for you"

"Nice to know" she fanned her hand, telling her daughter to come to her "Come give Mom some sugar" she leaned in for a hug

"I'm not leaving you out" she looked at her Dad, laughing at his sulky face as she walked towards him "You're such a grump when you don't come first"

"I'm not" Sam took his hug, grabbing her hand as she walked away from him "That skirt needs to find itself back in your damn room"

"Dad" she moaned looking at her Mom

"You knew that was coming walking in here looking like that" Mercy held her hand up denying her request for help

"All the girls wear these Dad, it's called fashion" she turned back to him, lifting the already short skirt, with beg in her brown eyes

"Yaya" he huffed "I'm not happy with it, and when I'm not happy with it what happens?"

"I get grounded" she huffed

"It will all make sense when you have a family Riya" he laughed "Please, go change"

**Back Story**

Sam and Mercy had met in their last year of college, it's not that they hadn't noticed each other at the beginning, but they were both in relationships at one time or another which prevented the other from making a move. After witnessing a very public breakup between Mercy and Leon, her latest conquest, he wasted no time in letting her know he was there and interested. His move was so blatant he was instantly apologetic and embarrassed especially as she'd stood right there in the corridor laughing her ass off at him trying to be cool about his dance. Eventually she admitted firstly that she'd felt the same for a while, and secondly that he might have been the cause of her treating her ex guy like shit. He stood watching her confessing her guilty secret, her eyes dripping embarrassed, and knew in that second he'd made a move on the right girl, her giggle was infectious she'd totally bombed him out, when she finally admitted that the feeling were mutual, but she was so cute about it, he melted

It didn't take them long to get acquainted, they'd got music in common as a pass time, they'd both been told to get a proper education and were pleasing their parents right now. Sam was doing computer programming and Mercy business studies with no lessons in common it meant that all their friends were a bit neglected while they grew closer.

Of course at the start there were a couple of rough times, Sam was the original boy next door type, all the girls got on with him, and until Mercy came along, he didn't see a problem with that, but of course when girls just keep disrespecting her shit hits. The last straw for Mercy was when one of Sam's ex girlfriend a persistent little bitch, sent word around about getting him back, telling everyone she'd felt insulted by Sam going out with that slut after her, of course Mercy went in fighting. She really wasn't that invested in the relationship at the time, they'd been together for all of three months, but it was the principle of the damn thing, he'd left the bitch, even had another girlfriend after her, and worse still, it seemed this bitch thought she was better than her. Mercy gave Sam one last chance to get rid, and stood watching this nice guy trying to be bad about it, he didn't have a horrid bone in his body, so she gave the girl a polite chance to walk away, then after the third strike Mercy decided to step in

"Listen bitch" she walked across the canteen to the table she was sat at "Whatever you're skinny ass is selling he don't need to buy, he's got the full hundred on fucking tap"

"I ain't even arguing with you, he's not going to be with that forever" her eyes looked Mercy up and down

"Really?" Mercy asked she was going to rise to that challenge, this bitch needed to know, she knew Mercy 2009 would have ripped her hair out her damn head, but lucky for her she was grown now, and she knew there was more than one way to skin a cat

"I'll give it a month, two tops, and he'll be crawling back for this" she tapped her chest like there was something there

"I'd advise you to step the fuck off, and please don't let me get serious on your ass" she turned to see a smirk on Sam's face, she quickly cottoned on that the man liked two women fighting for his attention and flipped that switch fast.

A week later she'd relaxed her aggressive self because, it was his turn to be not just angry but jealous too, she'd done the work to make her ex; Leon, believe there might be a chance for them again behind Sam's back, then sat back watching the two men play that close to the bone game of trying to mark their territory around her. "What the fuck are you doing Mercy?" Sam finally asked vexed at a conversation he'd just had with Leon "And don't say it was nothing because I saw you talking to him the other day, and he told me you guys might be getting back together, what the hell am I?"

"You're my boyfriend Sam, don't be jealous, I can't help it if boys fancy me" she cooed at him "Don't you trust me?"

"I trust you, but I'll kick the shit out of him if I have to" he huffed I've just had cuss him the fuck out" he looked at the grin on her face "Are you laughing?"

"Well you found it all funny the other day when bitch and I were arguing, acting like some fucking candy man, you know that saying, what's good for the goose..." she smiled

"Is good for the gander" he rolled his eyes 

"You got that" she smirked at him

"I didn't find it funny, I was just... glad you'd done it" he stepped towards her "You weren't funny or cute, now you have to tell that idiot that nothing's happening for you two before I really have to rip his fucking head off" he laughed "props for keeping me on my toes though, and I think you'll find I am your Candy man" he kissed her, pulling her with him, more than ready to sort it out with Leon

Over the months she found out he was more than cute, she added romantic, thoughtful, good in bed and funny, he had this way of pretending he really didn't understand what she was saying sometimes, when she went into study mode, that frustrated the hell out of her, but just before she snapped, he's grab her face and kiss her so hard, and answer her questions or give the answer she needed, it always got her going.

Time flew by, as their relationship grew they started meeting back up with their friends, Sam started playing his guitar more, she'd sit helping him put words to the music, and they'd go to open mic nights at the student bar, performing the better songs. End of the first semester Sam took her to Texas to meet his parents; Patrick and Ellen. Sam had grown up on a large ranch with strict parents, so, while his friends were hanging out and getting to know real life, he spent every single holiday until he left for college, playing guitar, fishing or boating with his grandparents, while his parents worked hard on the ranch. They spent the week with his family, mucking out, learning Mercy to ride a horse and listening to country dancing, before she went back home to California, for the holidays.

The week before their exams, absolutely revised out, Mercy took Sam to meet her parents; Jones and Lyn, Mercy was from the wrong side of town, she'd spent most of her childhood enjoying her black privileges, private schooled, getting everything she'd ever asked for from her professional parents, five bed home with maid, dogs, exotic holidays at least twice a year, and a swimming pool in the garden.

At college they melted together, both knowing what their parents had would never be their choice, they weren't ready to settle, they were reaching for the stars and hoping to hit the moon. Final exams came and went, they were at their leaving party at the student bar, everyone who was anyone was there, as usual, it was rowdy. Unusually, Sam was way past drunk, Mercy knew why, she'd tried to get him to finish the conversation before they came out, but he wouldn't. They'd been trying to have yet another conversation about what the end of student life meant for them, truth be told neither of them were in a good place, she'd been trying to pin him down for a good month, and he wasn't having it. Tonight it was clear his way of dealing with things was getting drunk, and super sloppy, he was constantly kissing her, his hands wondering was becoming a pain, it was easy to guess where his mind was, she'd stopped his hand wondering for the one hundredth time, at which point she was considering slapping his damn face

"Mercy" he jerked his hand away before she slapped it and looked her straight in the eye "I'm drunk" he slurred the obvious "But I know how I feel about you" he grabbed a guitar and started singing one of the songs he'd wrote **'There For You' by DeCarlo**

_**Cast out all of your anxiety, I will love you through your hardships, even though there's no guarantees, I will never break a promise** _

_**When you smile down that isle, lately I've been imagining, against Goliath I will be your defence, I'll protect you till it all ends..** _

No care that everyone was listening to him singing to his girl, he put the guitar down, left the others playing the melody, and grabbed hold of her "I know we've got a way to go, things we need to do, but once we're there I want to sing songs to you forever"

"What are you saying?" she looked up at him puzzled

"Married Mercy, I want to get married once we've done what we need to, I want us to mess around until we work" he shouted over the noise "I think that's the beginning of a song, our song"

"Sam" she hummed, knowing he was three sheets to the wind "We'll talk about it tomorrow"

"Okay" he smiled, kissing her before turning to carry on singing the next verse, happy she hadn't said no, his head turning sharply when she started singing with him

**_Sam (with Mercy): Through our mistakes our bonds won't break, (strengthen out numbers)_ **

**_No the streets don't play safe, but trust I will take (two shots for you, lying down)_ **

**_I'll never leave you or deceive you, I will stay true, because I care for you, baby I do, (oh)_ **

**_know that I'm there for you I m there for you (oh) you know that I'd ride for you I'd die for you_ **

**_I'll always be by your side (yeah) know that I'm there for you, know that I'm there for you, I'm there for you_ **

The night turned into morning, those that didn't make it home fell asleep at the venue, Sam ad Mercy were lucky enough to have made it home "You woke up" Mercy laughed at him emerging from the bedroom way past two in the afternoon

"Yeah I'm up" he raked his hand through his hair, his joggers half hanging off his hips revealing pubic hair

"Coffee?"

"Lots" he crashed on the couch watching her fetch it out the machine and pass it to him "Thanks babe" he took a sip before putting it on the table "So, I guess you're ready to talk" he looked at her

"About?"

"My proposal last night"

"You were serious about that?"

"Absolutely" he laughed "Have you got an answer for me?"

"Yeah" she turned to look at the TV

"So?" he leaned forward to look at her

"I said yeah"

"O...kay" he grabbed his cup and took another sip, it felt like closing a business deal, but it was done, they both focused on the TV for a while before he spoke again "Get dressed" he got up with his cup in his hand, draining the last drop, looking at her again "Shopping" he smiled knowing he wasn't about to get too much resistance with that suggestion, of course he brought her a ring along with a dress, shoes and paid for her hair do. That night, his girl dressed to his taste, he made up for the lack of romance in the proposal, they had dinner at Patrick's, went dancing at Hammer and finished the occasion off with a well deserved kiss in the morning, they felt ready for the next step in their relationship

"This is the hard bit" he told her two weeks later, stood at the airport hugging each other, him off to Phoenix to sign up and her off back to California to do the same, neither were far from home but distance was a first for them

They'd already been signed with independent recording company's Sam with Domino Records, so of course he was already buzzing to get his EP on the go, while Mercy had got an equally challenging commitment with XL records and nothing was standing in their way, not even each other, they'd promised themselves a 5 year turnaround, so the wedding was the event that was going to happen as a celebration of their success

The road they'd chosen wasn't easy, the bumps were hard and some damn near impossible to work through, they'd tried everything, including breaking up with conditions, even thought about giving up their dreams but finally settled in believing in their love and the knowledge that fate would bring their lives back into alignment. It took nearly two years of unexpected impromptu performances in random places, nightly crowd pleasing with popular covers, while painstakingly getting the material together for their EP's, before they finally saw a light at the end of their tunnel. Some days they could hardly remember their own names, let alone each others, sometimes it was a task to do a check in without falling asleep on the phone, things were rough.

After nearly three years of publicity hunting, hotel sex and letting off singles every now and again, they were faced with six months of negotiations, having to eventually let go of some themselves to release their music, finally the six songs were agreed. There was a lot more red tape to get through, so it had been almost five years to the day, from making that first trip to California, that Mercy was ready to release her first EP, Sam was purposely hindering his not wanting them to clash.

Their EP's hit the streets a week apart, amidst speculation that there might be a relationship sparking between Mercy and one of her musicians, they feared it would hinder her debut, but shockingly it generated more interest, her fans thought the squeaky clean Mercy Jones, had a naughty streak, the album broke records in hitting 1.7 million in the first week. Sam had taken up a bit of modelling, following the first photo shoot for his album cover, and gained himself a bit of a following, so within he first week of his released album, he'd had over 1.9 million hits across all media platforms

A year later they shocked their fans, and the world, when after finally making their relationship public knowledge, they released the proposal video in which they sang their new song **'U Move I Move' by John Legend & Jhene Aiko** while playing out their lives together, everything ending with the actual proposal, of course it hit the top of the charts getting 3.5 million hits overnight, after that it didn't take long for them to became the new young power couple.

They were, talent wise, the couple everyone wanted to be, but there was another side to their popularity, there were also those that didn't agree with the relationship, who had no problem in brutally making their views very clear on their interracial relationship that, according to them, shouldn't be. Social media was having an argument about it all, thankfully Sam and Mercy didn't have to tap so much as a letter on their pages, their fans were on the defence and supporting them all the way.

They became stronger in their relationship nothing weakened it, over the next few months, they'd put out a duet four song EP addressing some of the negative and positive aspects of interracial relationships they'd personally dealt with, earning themselves a Grammy. Following that they'd invested in their dream home in a secluded part of Long Beach, adopted two dogs and a cat, refurbished their five bedroom mini-mansion, rebuilt the outhouse and turned it into a studio, hiring Gloria; the cook, for the one thing they never found time to do in their busy lives

Six months after the release of their third EP they had a very private wedding on the Bahamas with just their family, Mercy's friends Tina, and her new husband Mike, they went off to a secret location for a week of honeymoon, their new contract with Sony quickly getting them back to work. They had music to finish, concerts to attend and scripts to read, they were branching out in the business. Mercy was getting engrossed in a remake of Just Wright and trying to add something different to an already perfect performance in the original film with leading lady Queen Latifah, while Sam was beefing up to join Idris Elba in a remake of Unstoppable, everything was happening

14 months into married life and everything was brought to a pause when Mercy discovered she was pregnant, the film had to be rushed to a finish, her album needed three more songs and Sam was at her to stop before the end of her second trimester. Then the dreaded call came "Mr Evans?" Sam heard on the other end of the phone, sending chills down his spine

"Yes, who is this?"

"It's Jenny, your wife's Podiatrist"

"What's happened is everything alright?" his heart beating hard and fast

"She's been rushed into hospital with pains Mr Evans, she's asking for you"

"Ten minutes, I'll be there in ten minutes" he told her clicking the phone off before she could answer

He got there to find she'd pushed herself so hard, it was devastating news, she'd miscarried. Mercy blamed herself for being selfish enough to think about her career before the baby, while Sam blamed himself for not putting his foot down hard enough and demanding she stop when they found out they were pregnant. They went into grief hard, it was a rocky time for them. They'd barely had time to grieve for their baby boy; Clay, before things were made even harder, Sam's Mom was diagnosed with a terminal illness and within eight months they'd lost two members of their family, everything seemed too much.

They took a month out after Ellen's funeral, forgot about Christmas, brought Sam's Dad to live with them, and rented a cabin in the woods, so they could focus on themselves, they found time to write a few songs, and learn to accept their lot. They came out of that time together pregnant again, lessons had been learned, so this time Mercy stopped work straight away and let Sam carry on. Everything worked out well for them, in September of that year they brought Leif into the world, named so because he was the heir to everything they had, he was a skinny, long baby boy, with a mop of curly dark brown hair, beautiful green eyes, a face like his Grandma Ellen's with a hit of colour and a pair of powerful lungs, within a month they were knee deep in parenthood, and a brand new life perspective for both of them.

Their happiness was soon marred, by the tabloids forming the opinions of the, 'messed up kids' in their opinion, born from interracial relationships, to which the world didn't seem to have any opinion until their son was born. Mercy went into a depression, unable to keep away from the disgusting slurs on social media about her family, Sam walked around feeling helpless and constantly angry at the world for hurting his family, and that was their life for nearly a year

Leif must have been around two years old when Sam went for a part in a sitcom, needing to refocus from everything at home, wanting to try something different and get the opportunity to go home after work, instead of constant touring. He was lucky enough to grab a series regular character in season 3, Tina was the director, and when Mercy expressed an interest he didn't hesitate to plug her name to their friend Tina, she eventually joined as a guest for 12 of the 15 episodes in season 4, it was a bit freaky playing love interests of different people on set while the other watched, but they got used to it.

That year and a half of filming made them some friends of the cast, half of them were Sam's old school friends, while the other half were Mercy's old school friends, they assumed they'd met back up for a reason and became tight. At the end of filming they were pregnant again, this time producing their second baby boy Genesis, named so because he was the first one out, looking more like Mercy than anyone else, followed be their baby girl Nour, named so because it took her some time to come out after her brother, everyone was happy when she saw the light of day safely, she looked more like her Grandma Lyn with a few features of Sam, the twins weren't identical at all

The children had all clung to Mercy as babies, maybe because she was the one at home with them, but once they started Kindergarten they were all their Dad, he couldn't move without noise, and he loved it. Mercy went back in the studio working hard on getting a new concept for her new EP, Sam had put out a new single lately which was dong fine in the charts, but Mercy had so many gaps in her career she needed something with an edge to get her fans thinking about her again, she was stuck for a concept.

After talking to Sam, her agent and her producer, she decided to do an album of songs from some of her influences that had lasted over time, with her own spin on them of course. It took just over a year to get consent from all the artists she wanted to cover, but eventually it happened and nine months later she released an album dedicated to iconic diva's, from various genre, which was received much better than she'd expected

It was only days after she'd released it that Mercy got the bad news about her Mother, of course they moved her parents into their house to be nearer, Sam carried on working while Mercy became her Mom's carer along with the professionals, but after 6 months of hospitals, medication, sickness, crying and stress Lyn lost her battle and passed away quietly in her sleep. Mercy was so upset she went into herself, both their Mother's and Clay, gone in less than five years, this brought everything back, for both of them, again life went to a very dark, quiet, place, only this time there were three children, and two Fathers in the mix

The end of that dark tunnel ended with the arrival of Riya their beautiful unexpected baby girl, the spit of her Dad with no look of her Mom, except she had brown eyes, was thick set and tightly curled hair, Sam struck up a deep relationship with the child from birth, it was like she was his saving grace, and he was hers, she had little to do with her Mother after she finished nursing her at 11 months, in a nice way

After her birth everything seemed to come together for them, Sam stayed at home while Mercy went off on tour for six weeks, coming home for a few weeks before she started work on her new album. The world had come to grips with their interracial relationship and sent much love for their family, especially since the passing of her Mom. They dabbled in films over the next few years, each getting star roles in movies, appearing in musicals, voicing on animated films, backing great causes, and were still doing concerts, but the family came first, they still found time for family holidays and school activities, which sometimes meant travelling for hours to watch a game or listen to a recycle, they were exceptional parents, friends and artists

Suddenly they'd been together for nearly 29 years married for just over 22 of those with 4 grown children Leif now 20 years old was playing with the Junior Titans and in his last year of college studying guitar, 17 year old Genesis had been a child actor since the age of 13, in between study he was currently training to become one of the power rangers in the new movie, in his spare time he'd crucify the drums. 17 year old Nour was happy at school, head cheerleader and lead singer in the award winning Glee club Sensations, she was heading for the world of science, and played the Saxophone like she was demonized, Riya was 14 and seemed to be working her way into activism, she had a valid argument for nearly everything anybody said, she could be so irritating at times, but you just had to listen to her take on things, it was hard to see the world through her lens, but when she sang, she was at one with the world

About six months ago, they been invited to a chat show, to talk about and perform their new duet, it had been a while since they'd produced anything together, they'd done it as a sort of farewell to the fast lane of their professional life, it was time to settle into becoming occasional singers. They answered a truck load of questions about their life on stage, gave some back stage gossip of yesteryear, talked about Sam's modelling career, the films they'd been involved with, and of course the TV series they'd recently made a come back in, after nearly 15 years of being written out

"Do you get on with the cast, I mean it was a while ago you guys were on there, love interests to Danny and Kate" Alex asked

"We're very good friends with the cast, and the producers actually" Sam told her

"It was really nice to work with them all again" Mercy added

"A bit of a twist in the comeback, don't you think?"

"Yeah" Sam laughed "Who writes that stuff?"

"It was just cool to be back" Mercy laughed

"And Genesis is getting set for his next big movie we hear?" Alex dropped in

"Yep" Sam snapped proudly "But I guess that's his news to share when the time comes"

"So what's next for you guys?" Alex asked, taking the hint, looking from Sam to Mercy

"Well we're calming down a bit" Sam laughed "When the children start telling you about getting old and asking you to be careful, it's no joke"

"Yeah" Mercy laughed "We haven't thought much past this next year winding down and stuff but something like this might be a good way to go" she laughed

"Hosting?" Alex asked

"Yeah why not, everyone can I guess"

"What would make your host show different to anyone else's?"

"Now that would be telling" Mercy laughed "Nothing set in stone, but anything's possible"

"That is very true" Alex smiled at Sam "So can you comment on the scandal currently going on with Rachel Berry, apparently she's racist?" she looked at Mercy for the last few words

"That's a bit of a strong word" Mercy held her hand up "I wouldn't deny she's got bitch tendencies, but racist?" she shook her head "I don't know that I can confirm that ever happened to me, with her"

"So you're not saying she isn't?" Alex pushed

"I want to make it clear, that's not my experience" Mercy closed the conversation down

"Ladies and gentleman, I'm afraid that's all we've got time for, thank you for watching and.." she turned to Sam and Mercy "Thanks for being our guests tonight"

"Thanks for having us" Sam smiled for the camera

They walked out of the studios to hear the awful news about one of their dear friends, Sam was gutted for the loss of his old school friend Santana, while Mercy went into autopilot reaching out to Brittany at the horrible news. The quiet, private funeral happened and it seemed, the finality of it all was sending Brittany into an even deeper funk, the group of friends were looking for some way to get her talking about her feelings, for her to start living again, and acknowledge that Santana had gone

It took a couple of months of throwing the idea around, before they involved their friends, eventually they all agreed to starting a series of Purple Table Talks focusing on talking about their lives in the hope of getting Brittany talking, they'd agreed topics that would be of interest to the tabloids, clear some fake news up and maybe even build on their relationships off stage. It took some time for everyone to clear their diaries at the same time for four Saturdays but eventually they did it

"Wait" Sam shot up in bed, "We're really doing this?"

"I think so, for Britt" she giggled "Did I ever tell you I love my candy man?"

"Several times, but it's always good to hear I'm still him for you" he kissed her and jumped out of bed, ready to make arrangements

By Friday of that week, everything was in place, ready for the great reveal, they'd decided to open the show on their own YouTube channel to get past red tape and provide free entertainment to millions of people around the world, a sort of a thank you for all the support they'd received throughout their careers, of course Mercy had a band flown in, nothing ever went down without song for her

"I guess you forgot to discuss this?" Sam threw the invoice for the band on the bed

"Oh" she picked it up and checked it, smiling "Didn't I mention the band?"

"Like hell you did" he laughed

"Problem?" she slowed, putting her make up on

"Communication problem" he frowned

"Sorry"

**End Of Back Story**

They watched Riya walk out the door and smiled at each other, it was inevitable that she was going to fly the nest soon, they hardly saw Genesis and Nour these days they had busy social lives, while Leif was off at college balancing grades with the game "We did well didn't we?" he asked

"More than well" she got up to get to him "We did exceptional" she wrapped her arms around his waist and tiptoed up to peck his lips

"Did I mention how damn fierce you look right now Mrs Evans?"

"You didn't, but I'll take that Mr Evans" she smiled

"So you'll take this" he looked down at himself

"Not right now, and you can get that look out your eyes" she giggled walking away

"Really?" he smiled "After all these years you're denying me?"

"After last night Mr, grow up"

"Oh I'm growing" he giggled walking close behind her

"I'll tell you what Candyman, you get some juicy gossip out of this session, then we'll see how much you can grow" she wiggled her eyebrows "My treat"

"Why do I feel like an excited child about to be set free in a candy shop right now?" he laughed

"Because you like my treats Mr Evans" she turned to look at him

"Me thinks you might be right Mrs Evans" he kissed her cheek "Come on let's go make sure everything's set up" he stepped forward, pushing her with his chest

"Hey" she turned when they got to the top of the stairs "Did I tell you today that I love you?"

"No I don't think you did, not this minute anyway, but I'll take telling now" he laughed

"I love you" she pecked his lips again

"Hey" he pulled her back, turning her around to look at him "I love you too" he held her face and pulled it to his, kissing her deeply

"You're the love of my life" they both said at the same time

"Let's get this show done" she turned and walked down the steps into the army of people running around in the foyer of their home "Leif?" Mercy looked across the hall into her son's eyes "What are you doing here?"

"I couldn't let you guys go out in a blaze of smoke" he laughed taking her hug

"That's not very nice" she leaned off him and tapped his chest

"He's joking" Sam laughed hugging his eldest boy "So what are you doing here?"

"My parents are starting this new venture, where else would I be, or don't you want my support?"

"Of course we want your support" Mercy laughed "Thanks" she smiled up at him taking his kiss on the cheek

"You better get in there and save those poor TV guys, you know Gen, he's got them chasing their own tails" Leif laughed looking into the drawing room

"Leif" Riya called, happily surprised, running down the stairs and into her big brother's arms

"Yaya" he laughed as she slammed into him "Good to see you too" it had been a whole week since he'd seen his parents and Riya

"I missed you" she smiled at him kissing her forehead "Gen and Nour have been horrid to me"

"I bet they have" he laughed, knowing full well what Gen could get up to, Dad and he were the pranksters of the family, their Dad would take it there, but Gen always found that next level that no one dared to touch, but Leif knew, when it came to Riya their Dad was having none of it, so it really wasn't as bad as she was making out

"Gen" their Dad's voice bringing all of them to attention "Stop it" he snarled at the boy, stood teasingly playing at tipping one of the camera lamps over "Go play an instrument or something" he called to his son, he looked so much like his Mother it was hard to be angry with him "And please behave for your Mom tonight, it's a big thing for her" he told him kissing his forehead as he walked past him

"And you Missy, can stop playing the innocent" Mercy smiled at mischievous Nour "You two and your Bonny and Clyde act"

"One of these days they're going to get themselves into so much trouble" Leif walked into the drawing room smiling at his siblings getting told off

"Like you were never young" Gen snapped at him touching elbows

"I am young" Leif laughed "And fortunate enough to get Mom's brains, that makes all the difference" he laughed dodging his Dad's slap

"That wasn't very nice, my side gave some of the looks" Sam laughed

"You know I'm joking old man" he looked at his Dad with love in his eyes

"I know" Sam hugged him again "I miss us" he looked around at his family stood there "I love... we love you guys"

"Right back at you" Riya smiled up at him, making his day

"So what's happening tonight?" Leif asked cutting the silence

"Well" Mercy smiled, happy to tell them all "We're running for four Saturdays, some friends will be coming over for conversation"

"Is that it?" Gen asked

"Yeah what did you expect?" Mercy asked

"That you'd set a theme there'd be music and memories, on-set gossip and maybe a secret or two revealed" Nour told them

"Invade people's privacy?" Sam asked shocked

"That's why they have chat shows, so people can free talk, I thought it would have an edge to everything else you see on TV" Nour told them, Sam and Mercy looked at each other, she'd got something, it might have been brutally executed, but there was something in what she'd said

"We're having music" Sam told them

"We could bring some artists in to perform, sing ourselves of course, the goal is to help Brittany get through losing Santana" Mercy told them

"Who that woman on the show?"

"Yeah, we're trying to help her wife come to grips with grief" Sam told them "Thanks Nour, not just a pretty face after all" he brushed his hand across her cheek playfully

"Okay" Mercy clapped her hands "Go play or whatever it is you guys do when you get together, Dad and I have work to do, love you guys" she walked further into the room leaving them to do what they wanted, this new concept had just over two hours to get bedded in "What do we want them to talk about?" she turned to Sam asking

"Not our personal life" he frowned

"I thought we'd need to share" she frowned "We're asking our friends to put it all out there"

"If they want to do that fine, but our life is private"

"Sam" she looked up at him with her puppy eyes

"I mean it Mercy" he stepped off, she knew there was no point talking to him when he was in his mood

Two hours later the band, table, food and drinks were in place, Sam was getting his mic fitted when Mercy walked into the room with Tina, Mike, Matt, Brittany, Artie, Rachel, Blaine, Quinn and Kurt behind her "That time" Sam walked over to them smiling "Start rolling" he instructed the camera man


	2. What Doesn't Kill You/ Stronger

**The Purple Table Talk**

**Session 1**

**What Doesn't Kill You - Stronger**

"Okay" Sam finally sat at the table, content that everyone had what they needed to get comfortable "Thank you all for coming, this is as you know a new venture for us" he looked at Mercy "And I know just before you guys got here I told Mercy our life wasn't on the table, but her puppy eyes got me so.." he looked at her again "Everything is on the table"

"For everyone" Rachel added

"Agreed" Quinn smiled at her

"We thought we'd make it a bit special tonight so at very short notice we managed to get one of our favourite Artists, and our good friend to open the session" Sam smiled looking at the door "Guys please welcome country singer extraordinaire Mickey Guyton" he held his hand out for Mickey to enter the room, she came in to the band playing and sung a very heartfelt **'Black Like Me' by Mickey Guyton** everyone sat listening to the words clearly outlining the topic of the night

Everyone clapping as she took her hugs and made her exit "So the table is open to... Rachel" Mercy smiled at their friend, she'd always been the theatrical one of the group, felt she was bigger than she actually was, one of the traits of being a child star they were trying hard to make sure Gen didn't pick up, the woman walked around like everyone was beneath her, but somehow she'd found a place in this group. "How strange that we should find ourselves on opposite sides of the fence, you being called a racist and me being actively involved in this march against injustice"

"I'm glad you said that" Rachel threw another slice of apple in her mouth

"I don't think we'd have heard the last of it if I hadn't" Mercy laughed, knowing shit was about to hit

"How's Angel's baby bump?" Brittany asked, everyone smiling at Rachel expecting her first grandchild

"Fine thanks, she's been a bit sad, especially with all the stressful press I've been getting" she rolled her eyes

"Yeah" Mercy grinned at her "I tried to tell everyone it had been assumed, but I fear I just added fuel, sorry" she rolled her eyes

"Yeah you did, and I want to call you out on that, why didn't you just keep your damn mouth shut?"

"Because bitch, there's no damn smoke without fire" Mercy snapped

"You just made everything ten times worse" Rachel hissed back

"If you were semi kind to anyone on set in the first place there'd be no damn allegation" Mercy snapped "If you did that to Jane I don't blame the girl for throwing you shade"

"I don't mean to be racist, just horrible" Rachel frowned

"And the fact that you know your being damn horrible makes it freaking worse" Quinn butted in

"Oh shut up, dirty nails" Rachel hissed at her

"You see what I mean, why couldn't you just have thought that and given a look?" Mercy asked "Your fowl"

"That's not very nice" she hissed

"You just said that to Quinn and then have the damn cheek to sit there telling me what I said wasn't nice, why because it was directed at you?"

"Circle of truth" Mike's hand circled the table reminding everyone

"I don't think the questions should be, are you racist" Brittany sat forward to look at her "I think it should be, why are you racist"

"So what, now you're saying I'm a racist?" Rachel looked around the table

"And very defensive" Matt nodded at her

"Don't like the truth, do you?" Tina grinned at her

"You guys know me" Rachel laughed nervously "Look, everyone knows this is a dog eat dog industry, everyone's fighting their way to the top"

"But what's the point in getting to the damn top, if when you get there you're alone?" Sam asked

"I don't even remember who I used to be anymore" Rachel slumped back in her chair

"So" Quinn looked around the table, knowing she was going to ask the question everyone wanted to know "Who is the real Rachel?"

"The real Rachel, grew up fighting for attention from her Dad's, cried herself to sleep nearly every night of her teenage life, because she didn't have a Mom, siblings or anybody" she looked around the table "Just those two self indulgent Dad's who used me to fulfil their dreams, do you know they got a strange woman in to tell me about my periods" she giggled nervously "I hated my Mom for not being there, and when I finally found her I wasn't impressed, I mean what the hell could she do for me at the age of 20, absolutely nothing. I rebelled against the world, there was nobody to tell me I was good enough so I stood in the mirror and said it to myself until I believed it. I got my first job at the age of 21, built on my confidence and refused to let anyone take it away from me" she looked around the table "I refuse to be as vulnerable as I was back then, and I guess that turned me into a bitch" she shrugged her shoulders

"Hence your attitude" Mercy smiled empathizing with her story

"Oh I'm calling bullshit on that whole feel sorry for me story" Tina hissed "It's obvious from the way you are, you think you're a notch above everyone else"

"And let's not sit around pretending Rachel's the only culprit here" Artie waved his finger at her "That guy you were with back then, Brody was it?" he asked "He made you worse, peas from the same pod"

"And don't you go denying it" Quinn jumped in stopping her from protesting

"I don't deny anything except being racist, I'm just horrible to anyone that I feel is a threat" Rachel laughed "And I take issue with what that girl wrote, I mean why should I be made to feel guilty for being born with whatever they think white privilege is?" she asked

"I think that's the exact point, who is they?" Mercy asked

"The people who are calling me a racist" 

"Which people, who are they?" Mercy asked again 

"Anyone who said I was racist" Rachel snapped back 

"That statement attached to the words white privilege, assumes you're talking about everyone of colour" Matt told her 

"That's ridiculous" Rachel hissed "I don't need to tell people they're black, everyone can see that"

"But I'd need to ask you if you were Jewish before I treat you different" Mercy told her "And that's the difference Rachel"

"I don't understand" she frowned "I can see who you all are, I know you guys, love you guys, does it truly matter what race, religion or creed we are?"

"And I guess what I'm trying to get you to do, just acknowledge the fact that for some people, not necessarily for you, but some people, non-acceptance is a problem" Sam told her "My family is black, so I know what white privilege is, I see it every day when I'm out there alone"

"And how does that make you feel, being one person out there and another in your home?" Quinn asked concerned

"Angry a lot of the time to be honest" Sam scoffed "And I'm not two people, I'm one with many facets" he frowned "And sometimes I'm guilty of using that white privilege for the good of my family, and yes I see that as a necessary hurt"

"There was a time we both wanted to fight the world, especially when the comments about the children started" Mercy rolled her eyes "But just like every other person of colour you grow a thick skin, let it fall on deaf ears and rise above it, you can't fight people's ignorance with anger, it makes it worse"

"For me that doesn't sit right" Kurt pipped in "I mean we really fought for gay rights and it took thousands of years to get any recognition but we got it, and yet a simple thing like skin colour we refuse to see as an acceptable difference, what the hell is wrong with people?" he banged the table "Sorry"

"No, it's fine, I like the passion" Sam smiled

"Gay rights yes" Blaine added "But it's still triple the problems for black LGBTQ's even today"

"I read somewhere that in the height of slavery there were a recorded 48 slaves killed per day" Mike informed everyone

"Really, I expected more than that" Mercy replied surprised

"Today that figure is 48 black people per minute, all over the world" he shook his head

"Gosh" Quinn gasped alarmed "We have to do something about this"

"I'm running the risk of sounding like a broken record here, but, that's what we're trying to say with the marches" Mercy told her "It has to stop"

"Full stop" Blaine echoed

"Racism really doesn't just stop at black people" Quinn told the group "They stopped going to Mike's dance classes because they said, and I quote, he brought Covid-19 to America, can you freaking believe it?" she huffed

"And the remarks, looks, spitting comes from both sides of the fence black and white, so I know what you mean Sam" Mike told him

"I guess I'm a bit naive, I hadn't even thought on those lines" Artie commented "Sorry" he told Tina sitting next to him

"Be careful, that can also be misconstrued at ignorance" Sam told him

"My heads so much into scripts and things these days, I hardly get to read for the sake of knowledge for myself" Artie admitted

"Believe it or not, I get the most racist remarks from black people" Mercy laughed "I don't know if that's a truth or because I just notice it more from my own" she laughed

"How can black people be racist to other black people?" Tina asked puzzled

"Because according to them I've fallen off track, defected, need some real black dick, they're disgusted that I've mixed my pure African blood with a white man" she looked at Sam "But I say, what a white man" she smiled at him

"Good for you" Quinn smiled at her

"I think that might just be about the third time in our entire relationship you've seriously referred to me as white" Sam laughed

"Is that healthy?" Blaine asked "Kurt and I call each other bitches all the while"

"Well yeah" Mercy looked at Sam "Because his name is Sam and Mine's Mercy, not black and white" she giggled "Unless you want to be called black?" she looked at her husband

"Would that make you white?" he laughed "No, Sam will do"

"I mean we joke about these things as we sit here, but lives are being affected, especially after George Floyd killing, what do you think brought that reaction on?" Quinn asked

"What?" Matt scoffed "Other than the man getting choked to death for paying for his groceries?" he asked irritated "The country is coming to something when a man can't even buy food via cheque or a black kid can't play with a toy gun in the streets" he told everyone "The police are another element to this, I agree with the de-fund agenda, they have far too much power, and abuse it even more" he shook his head in disbelief "Why can't they use that money to educate, reform, provide opportunities in those deprived areas" he huffed "I need to stop" he looked at Mercy

"You're right Matt, if you ask me the KKK just took on another uniform" Tina told them

"I hear that" Mercy agreed "So Rachel, to bring this thing back to the accusations" she looked across the table "How did you feel being labelled a racist?"

"Terrible" she gasped "I'd accept mean, a bitch maybe, but racist?" she held her chest "It hurt to the bone, and it's not because she said it, you're right, she had every right to make her feelings known, and I respect that" she breathed "It was just the shock of it, I didn't think I had a racist bone in my damn body, but it's made me look at myself"

"Do I detect a crack in Rachel's armour?" Kurt asked laughing

"No I mean I'm Jewish" she laughed "You know our history"

"You were slave traders?" Artie told her 

"The Jews were" Rachel told him "Back in the 17th Century or somewhere" 

"I read about that" Sam sat thinking on the story

"I for one can't believe your trying to feed us a load of shit" Brittany hissed, rolling her eyes at her "Now you're using religion as a reason for your shade?" she stared at Rachel "You're a freaking racist, deal with it, do better"

"I'm trying to be as honest as I can" Rachel toll her 

"If you're being honest, why did you leave out the part in history where you guys robbed the whole of Africa of their diamonds?" Blaine asked her

"And you sit there going on like we're in the same boat" Matt snapped

"White privilege" Kurt called her out

"Whatever" she sat back in her chair, physically deciding not to get into the argument

"I guess if it doesn't encroach on your life you never feel the need to know it" Artie told everyone "I mean I've known you for years, but I've never thought about the way you are as being a product of your religion" he told Rachel

"Does that mean I don't know you, because I don't even know your religion?" she lashed back at Artie

"I feel the need to be honest here Rachel" Mercy looked at her seriously "I wanted to comment on Jane's post, negatively, and it's not because of anything that's happened between us, because I genuinely believe you value your life too much to go head to head with me" she stared at the girl "But I heard you speak to some of the cast behind the camera and I cringed, admittedly they weren't all BAME, but I sent the comment on social media because that's exactly what I did, heard it and ignored it, because it wasn't happening to me, I should have been stronger, for them"

"We're all guilty of that" Brittany told Mercy "You frustrated the hell out of Santana on and off set, she didn't make it a secret" Brittany told her "Every time she went ahead and reported your ass you got it blocked, we began to see you as untouchable and us as expendable, no wonder everyone kept their mouths shut and let you rule the damn set like freaking Trump"

"I take exception to being liken to that damn man" Rachel gasped

"And you need to take stock of the amount of people that take exception to your damn behaviour" Brittany told her

"I thought you didn't have any sense?" Rachel hissed at her

"There you go again" Brittany raise her hands in the air and cut her eye at the girl "I'm a mathematical fucking genius, graduated through MIT top of my damn class"

"Snap that" Tina clicked her fingers at Brittany clearly having had enough

"Okay I think we maybe need to calm things down a bit" Sam sat up in his chair

"I'm also a world class dancer and choreographer, as well as a bad ass actor, what do you do?" Brittany ignored Sam's request

"Did someone forget this was a live session?" Mike asked, looking at Brittany 

"All I'm trying to prove is that I'm not a racist" Rachel huffed

"Well you're not doing a very good job of it" Blaine chuckled

"I can't be the only one with slavery in my history" she looked around the table

"I know a bit about slavery in China" Tina told them

"China?" Quinn asked

"Yeah" she sat up "The earliest documentation of slavery in China dates back to BC with the Shang dynasty, my parents told me that local history has it that they were indeed slaves"

"I read somewhere that some parts of China were enslaved by their own people?" Sam informed them

"Yeah, there's still some divides" Tina told her

"I've heard that story before, it didn't hurt your economy did it, I mean China's one of the leading tech environment in the world?" Kurt asked

"They had their own people working as slaves, you don't get it any cheaper than that" Blaine laughed

"Should we take a comfort break?"

"Very welcome" Quinn smiled

"Okay folks we'll be back in a few minutes" Mercy looked into the camera, signalling for the camera man to stop filming

**Comfort Break**

"So what did that personal attack prove?" Rachel asked Quinn

"What do you mean?" Quinn asked

"Well, why shouldn't the fault of what happened to mankind back then be laid with them, instead of being laid at our feet?" Rachel asked

"Hold that thought" Quinn got up to grab a drink and some nibbles

"How do you think it's going?" Sam nudged Mercy asking

"Everything just suddenly blew the fuck up" she laughed

"That was what we were hoping for, wasn't it?"

"I guess" she laughed kissing his cheek

"Let's go mingle" he got up, watching her do the same "You alright?"

"Yeah why?"

"Just feels strange being off set with Mike and Quinn in the room"

"What you mean because we're not eating at each others faces?" she laughed

"Sort of" he laughed

"Don't even go there Evans, I will fuck you up" she warned him

"I was actually going to say the same thing to you" he laughed

"Your lips are cute, no doubt" she rubbed her finger across them "But those are not what I'm real precious about" she looked down at his crutch "If you get my drift?"

"Go mingle" he laughed stepping off "Artie" he called walking towards him "That film we talked about the last time we met..."

Mercy went to talk to Kurt and Blaine "Good to see you guys again, and really, I can't thank you enough for doing these sessions with us, it means a lot"

"Is he treating you alright?" Kurt's eyes left her face and looked around the room, landing on Sam

"Please tell me you've got over that" Mercy laughed "We have four grown children, we're still together and we're happy"

"So what you're asking me to trust him?" his eyes met hers again

"Yes" she laughed at her best friend

They'd been schooled together back in the day and really hit it off, they had their love for quirky fashion in common, but then she'd moved away to California when she was 11, they'd promised to keep in touch, both thinking the other wouldn't, but they had and letters turned into calls, and then silence until they met back up on the set of the series and they never lost touch again. He quickly became her overprotective best friend again, Mercy often laughed, wondered what the hell Kurt was actually going to do if Sam had ever hurt her, the man was twice his size and height, and had on occasion, lifted Kurt off his feet with great ease "You know he's the love of my life"

"I know, and somewhere in there, I think I might like him, but I never want him to think my guards down" Kurt hugging her

"This is a great thing you guys are doing for Britt, hope it works" Blaine rubbed her arm, leaning in to kiss her cheek "Thank you for having us"

"The pleasure is all ours I assure you" she giggled "I better go mingle" she looked around seeing Sam stood talking to Brittany, she wanted to zone in on that, the girl had been super edgy this evening, there was something disturbing about her outburst too, she wondered, if right now, Sam might need to be her person, moving off in the opposite direction

"It's freaking Rachel" Brittany told Sam in response to him enquiring about her outburst

"I didn't know you two had anything like that going on, that's all" his voice concerned

"I don't really understand how she's trying to back out of this racism thing" she told him "I hate that people are being so mean to each other, it just makes me sad"

"Sorry you feel like that, should we change the subject?"

"No" she quickly rested her hand on his arm "People obviously have things to say, let them just say it" she smiled "Plus I like being here with everyone" she looked around the room "I like being here with you" she squeezed his arm

"You know we want to support you through this difficult time Britt, we both do" he looked across the room at Mercy talking to Matt

"I know and I appreciate that no one's mentioned her tonight"

"To be honest, everything's still so raw for everyone" he assured her

"Let's stick with the subject, it's a safe subject right now" she squeezed his arm again, reminding him her hand had been there the whole time

"Everyone fresh" Mercy clapped her hands asking "Five minutes" she walked towards Quinn and Mike stood talking

"She's going there" he rolled his eyes, dropping his arm for Brittany's hand to fall off

"Sorry?" Brittany asked at the conversation going south

"My bad, talking to myself again" he smiled "Excuse me" he walked away to get involved in whatever was going on over by the snack table "Mike" he smiled walking towards them "Mercy and I were saying earlier, it's odd being in a room with you guys after the last few scenes of the show" he laughed sliding his arm around Mercy's waist

"To be honest we had the same conversation before we got here" Mike laughed

"And as I said earlier, we're not at work" Quinn told him

"Got that"" Mercy looked up at Sam awkwardly "I'll just check on Tina, then we can start up again" she walked off towards her friend "T" she kissed her cheek

"Mercy" she smiled taking the kiss "Touchy subject for Matt, I can see it's killing him to keep his mouth shut"

"I just told him to say what he needs to say, we're friends, this is a safe space" she looked at the table

"Matt" Tina saw him walking towards them "I enjoyed your new movie" she nudged him with her elbow

"You watched that?" he smiled

"We've all watched it, you produced it, yeah?"

"Yeah" he laughed

"Well done you" she laughed "Next one, has my name on it"

"I'll see what I can do" he laughed grabbing a refill for his cup

"We're round the purple table" Mercy pointed to the table "Ready everyone?" she walked off over to the table

**Purple Table Talk**

"So" Mercy looked at the camera "We're back for part two"

"Yes" Quinn looked around the room "Rachel asked a question earlier, so I was trying to think about reasons why all that shame needs to be laid at our door, and well I came up with Christianity" she rested her elbows on the table

"Christians" Matt huffed rolling his eyes "Something else put there to control the masses"

"Were the Christians ever slaves, wasn't that the religion they used to destroy everything and everyone throughout the world?" Artie asked, nodding in agreement with Matt's comment

"I read somewhere the Hebrews used to be punished if they beat their slaves enough for them to die within two days or something" Sam frowned wondering if that was fact or fiction

"It's a fact Sam" Quin smiled "Breaking a slaves tooth, forcing a slave to work on the sabbath, returning a slave that had been in the midst of Israelites or get this, slandering a slave, all punishable, but having a damn slave, not punishable"

"Go figure" Tina laughed with sarcasm

"I heard it was the done thing for a person to voluntarily sell themselves into slavery, for an agreed amount of time to pay of a debt, or just to have somewhere to live for a while" Matt dropped in

"Clearly these were white people, buying and selling themselves, if they had the option to leave when they wanted?" Mercy asked shocked

"The fact that they dictated the amount of time they were sold lends itself to that being a fact" Artie agreed scrolling through his phone for information and confirmation

"Doesn't that just boil down to being self employed in this day and age?" Brittany asked

"I guess you're right Britt" Rachel laughed

"How dare they write that shit in their history and call it slavery" Tina hissed

"White privilege" Kurt added

"They could make slaves of people that were captured in war though, the law told them that" Quinn added, waving her finger at the world "But they couldn't kidnap anyone for the sole purpose of slavery, and get this, they were allowed to sell children to pay off debts, the courts even ruled it sometimes"

"I knew there was reason that religion thing never appealed to me" Kurt waves his hand in the air

"Slaves should be treated like part of the family" Sam added "Allowed to celebrate certain religious festivals.."

"And of course honour the sabbath day and keep it holy" Quinn finished

"So I ask again, what was the relevance of religion?" Rachel asked Quinn

"What do you mean?" Matt asked shocked "It's got every fucking relevance, religion is what they used to get the black slaves in the first place, do you know they had a bible specifically for black slaves teaching them to be grateful for not being killed by their damn master, that if they were good slaves they'd go to heaven, that the master could take for themselves any damn wife he wanted to, that's the relevance of religion Rachel, to this damn day they still use it to control the masses" he huffed "Sorry to all you guys that believe in that stuff"

"That's your truth Dude" Sam told him

"If from biblical times whites have dominated, how the hell did it start, why did it start?" Rachel asked

"I think the question we're asking now is, when will it stop" Mercy smiled "Why is there always going to be a them and an us, black and white and everything in between" she frowned "And more importantly who's going to break the chain of oppression"

"You feel oppressed?" Brittany asked offended

"Yes Britt" Mercy smiled "We keep shouting about our slavery because it happened, and the consequence were we lost our identity, religion, culture, family, roots everything, imagine what it feels like, walking around not knowing why you don't belong, being treated like a lower class citizen, when the blood running through your veins tells you your something different, something better" she huffed "Nobody's taking responsibility for what happened to another human being, instead they pretend it doesn't matter, it was a good thing or that it wasn't wrong?"

"But they did it to their own" Quinn tried to get her point across

"I'm not disagreeing with your truth" Mercy twisted her lips unsure what to actually say without offending anyone "Okay" she smiled "Around 1455, the Roman Pontifex was issued giving Portugal exclusive rights to trade along the West African coast and remove trade items from that area. That same piece of paper gave them the right to invade, degrade and render the population that lived there to hideous acts in the name of slavery" she hissed and took a breath, trying not to get emotional as scenes appeared in her head "I'm not prettying this up, men, women and children were raped, seasoned, decapitated, hung and whipped.

"You don't have to carry on" Sam told her seeing her upset

"I'm fine" she wiped tears and carried on "Columbus goes out specifically to find slaves to make his queen richer" she laughed "Next stop Africa, where he found his natural and human gold, the soil rich with minerals, the population willing and able to work, and so trading started with America, England, Netherlands, France and other European countries joining the exploitation, everyone wanted in on the action"

"Are we talking about minerals or people here?" Blaine asked

"Both" Mercy snapped "They competed to secure and colonize the New World, a new form of slavery came, endorsed by the European nation-states and based purely on race, not religion, on their own land or to pay off debts" she looked around the table "It resulted in the largest forced migration in the world, some 12.5 million men, women and children of African descent were forced into the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The sale of their bodies and the product of their labour brought the Atlantic world into being, including colonial North America. It was from there the colonies, status began and freedom was limited to maintain the enterprise of slavery and ensure power."

"You make it sound like they were buying cattle or something" Kurt looked at her with his jaw dropped

Matt couldn't keep his mouth closed any longer "Transfer those experiences of 1619 into 2020 and we really haven't come any closer to being recognised as a race, the other day John Boyega stood up and said 'We have always been important. we have always meant something, we have always succeeded regardless, and now is the time. I ain't waiting'" he frowned "That's why we march today, and that's why Jane took offense at your damn comment because after all these years of treating us like we're nothing, it hurts that the race war your ancestors rained down on us back then is still at the heart of the people we helped to build the new world not once, but twice, they still see us as less than dogs" he shouted angrily, bringing quiet to everyone at the table

"I guess it starts with us, everyone of us" Brittany told them all "Mercy, Matt I don't fully understand this racism stuff, but I know it's wrong and I want to support you, and every person of colour, in any way I can"

"For once we can use this white privilege for something meaningful" Kurt told everyone wiping his tears away

"I think I'm racist" Quinn announced "It's official, I hate what white people did to black people" she told Mercy "I want to help too" Quinn told her

"What can we do to help change mindsets?" Blaine asked moving to business mode

"Educate yourself on the culture, the real history and find a way to make a difference for the good of all nations" Mercy told "And then recondition yourselves, black, people of colour and white people, I guess **what doesn't kill you makes you... stronger** " she smiled "Unfortunately we're close to the end of our session" Mercy told her guests "Rachel what are you taking away from the session?"

"Maybe that racism isn't always blatant" she smiled "And I will educate myself"

"I'll hold you to that" Tina smiled at her

"Thank you for sharing everyone" Mercy clapped her hand "Send us your thoughts on the discussions of tonight, in the chat below" she looked into the camera "Or just get your tablet out and start reading up on other people's history, be kinder to one another, and considerate to others and please donate" she told the listeners "So without further ado here's none other than our resident artist Sam Evans singing **'Knowledge' by Jacob Lee**

The end of the song soon came, and the camera's went off, there was surprise about how everything had gone, but on the whole everyone felt they got what was promised, sparking excitement.

"What did you think about Britt?" Quinn asked Mercy 

"I think she might be ready" 

"She was very vocal when she kicked back at Rachel" Tina butted in

"I think I'm going to stick my head out and do it next week" Mercy told them

"Are you sure?" Quinn asked

"Almost, Sam's had a lot to do with her tonight" she looked over at them still talking "I'll ask him later"

One by one the guest finally started making their way to the door, an hour later Sam was seeing the last of the guests out

**End of Purple Table Talk**

"Wow" Mercy held her head, watching Sam close the door, grabbed her around the waist and started up the stairs "That was..." she looked at her buzzing phone "The children said amazing" she smiled 

"We made them" Sam hugged her, looking at the picture of them all dancing around 

"I guess you wanna shop now" she giggled pushing their bedroom door open "Lock the door, I'm buzzed" she told him giggling, as she kicked her shoes off to get their night started

"Candy" he giggled walking towards her


	3. Edge Of Glory

**The Purple Table Series**

**Session 2**

**Edge Of Glory**

They'd already agreed between them that Brittany was the next casualty on their list of fix ups, they'd tackled awareness, this time it was healing, Santana had passed just over three months now and she was still behaving like it had just happened, Kurt had reported that she was barely functioning, or talking to someone that wasn't there, they just assumed it was Santana. They'd all expected it to hurt her, it hurt them, Snix passing like that was so against the plan they thought God had for them, she wasn't even sick, they just got the message saying she was gone, and rushed over to support Britt, a week later they attended a well planned funeral. Even now there were no real explanations as to what actually happened from any of her family, Brittany was in a state of numbness, they all seemed to be in denial, their silence a testimony to their pain.

Last week she'd spoken to Rachel some way and she was opening up a bit to Sam, it seemed, so the plan was going ahead. Kurt had identified during the week that there were still some deep seated feelings for other cast members, and that they maybe needed to pick at, after all it hadn't been that long since Noah and Finn had left them tragically too

"Where do all these purple outfits keep coming from?" Sam asked looking across the bedroom at his wife dressed in a trouser suit with no blouse underneath the jacket "I think I need to have a word with you about sensible dress codes never mind Riya" he laughed

"Complain after you undo the three simple clips later tonight" she looked at him through her mirror smiling, her attention diverted to her ringing phone "It's Leif" she tapped it open

"First born" Sam stepped across the room to engage in conversation

"Dad" Leif's face on the screen bringing a smiled to both of them "Just calling to say good luck for tonight"

"Thanks son"

"Everyone's here" he turned the phone for them to see Gen and Noir

"Hi" everyone shouted

"We all want to know the same thing, what's the theme for today's conversation?" Genesis asked

"We're giving Brittany some time" Sam told him

"That's good we were saying last week, she sounded angry" Nour smiled "Good luck guys"

"I know" Mercy's eyes wide "That so wasn't her, but it was good"

"No arguments there" Leif laughed

"Got to go clan, speak tomorrow" Sam smiled, clicking the phone off "By the way, a repeat after party is very welcome later" he wiggled his eyebrows making her giggle

"Come on lets go downstairs before we get out of hand" she got up, grabbed his hand and walked towards the bedroom door

They took the familiar walk from the end of the mink carpeted landing, past the four un-suite bedrooms, on their right, wrought metal patterned railing on the left, plain shatter proof glass shielding on the outside of the entwined rungs, and a brass handrail from start to curved finish down the marble staircase and into the entrance hall

"I guess everyone's here already" he steps longer as they walked across the hall 

"Are we late?" she grabbed his arm with both hands trying to keep up

"No" he laughed "I'm just eager to get back"

**Purple Table Talk**

"Hi" Mercy smiled as she walked into the room 

"Back again" Tina laughed taking her hug

"It went so quickly last week, I don't think you're going to get rid of us this week" Quinn laughed taking her hug

"I've donated, and reached out to Jane, we've set up a meeting for next week" Rachel told her as they hugged

"Thank you so much for coming back" Sam smiled at Blaine and Kurt, "Do you know we've had over 2million hits on our first show?" he asked

"Yeah, great isn't it" Mike walked up behind them joining in "I'm so happy to be a part of it all"

"Me too" Artie echoed, Mercy called time and everyone took their seats

"Britt" Mercy determined to get her involved "How have you been?" she nodded for the camera to roll

"Okay I guess" she nodded

"Welcome to session two on the purple table" Sam's voice interrupted their conversations "Yes we're all back" he laughed "Because what's said at the table, stays at the table, Right?" he laughed looking at their friends " We have a treat tonight, our very own Matt Rutherford & Blaine Anderson-Hummel will be singing their rendition of **'Until We Meet Again' by Nick Jonas"** he sat down as the music started while they took the stage, the song grabbed everyone's heart, it was so profound.

"Thank you" Mercy mouthed, watching them walk across the room "I guess everyone's grasped this session is about loss and coping"

"We'll kick off with you if you don't mind Rachel, when you went through your loss, how did you cope?" Sam asked her

"It was hard sweet, there were days I really didn't want to go on, truth, there were days I felt I couldn't" she looked around the table "And of course I had to learn to fight"

"You seem to have come through to the other side alright" Blaine observed

"I had my children, you guys and my music" she frowned

"And I have my dancing I guess" Brittany smiled at her

"It still feel like Santana's about to walk back through the door any minute, doesn't it?" Rachel asked

"Yes" she frowned "It gets me up in the morning"

"I remember that feeling" Rachel smiled before sharing a look with Quinn

"We played with each others feelings for so long before we finally came out" Brittany giggled to herself "Wasted time" she shook her head, trying to bring herself back into the room for a second before realising she didn't want to be back "We tried to keep our feelings hidden, with boys, everything you do when you're trying to keep that closet door tightly closed" she looked at Kurt and smiled

"Yeah, I know what you mean" Kurt laughed

"Does this mean you're ready to talk?" Mercy asked, watching Britt's face light up at talking about Santana

"I think I am, today talking about her makes me happy" Brittany smiled

"Your wife's letter to me was this song, I was instructed to give it to you at this very moment" Mercy told her nodding to the band

_**Mercy:** You were in college working part time waiting tables, left a small town, never looked back_   
_I was a flight risk with a fear of falling, wondering why we bother with love if it never lasts_

_**Rachel:** I say can you believe it, as we're lying on the couch, the moment I could see it. yeah, yes, yes, I can see it now._

_**Brittany:** Do you remember, we were sitting there by the water? you put your arm around me for the first time._   
_You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter, you are the best thing that's ever been mine._

_**Tina:** And I remember that fight two-thirty AM_   
_When everything was slipping right out of our hands, I ran out crying and you followed me out into the street_

_**Quinn:** Then you took me by surprise, you said, "I'll never leave you alone."_

_**Rachel:** You said_

_**All:** I remember how we felt sitting by the water, she is the best thing that's ever been mine, woo, you made a rebel of a careless man's car_ _eful daughter, you are the best thing that's ever been mine, do you believe it? We're gonna make it now, and I can see it I can see it now._

"Gosh, I can't believe she shared that song with you" she looked at Mercy, a tear rolling down her face "Sorry" she wiped it away "I told myself I wouldn't cry"

"It's fine to cry, safe space remember?" Artie handed her a tissue

"The plan is to sing a song that fits a memory, to lighten the air, and help Britt with this process, Santana's request" Mercy told everyone "Any relevant song just but in"

"Even from the grave she knows how to handle me" Britany laughed "Anyway, thank the lord, eventually we saw the error of our ways and got our shit together, we knew right then that there would never be anyone else for either of us, but as we all know, life has a way of throwing curve balls at your plans" she giggled

"Never mind the curves, stick with the love story I love to hear about love" Rachel told her

"First kiss?" Tina asked bringing some focus

"Oh that was very private" Brittany giggled excitedly, more than ready to talk about her favourite subject "We were making out, I think it was just after we'd told each other we were in love"

"Surely you kissed before that?" Quinn asked shocked

"We did" she laughed "Loads" she licked her lips "But after this one time we knew we weren't playing anymore" she sat ready to tell all "So we were making out, no details" she warned "And I felt it deep inside me, I wanted to give my all to this woman, we'd generally get to that point and Santana would bring us back down to earth with something like 'I need something warm beneath me' or something equally crass that lowered the tone, but this time she just stopped looked into my eyes, smiled that smile that told me she was sincere and said it 'I love you' it was so simple, we'd said it a thousand times to each other, but in that moment I realised all the other times we could have just been two really good friends, but on that day we became lovers" she smiled reliving the moment

"That was a side to Santana no one else saw" Rachel told them

"I always remember the drama she put up during filming when they told her she couldn't do that number she had her heart set on" Blaine laughed "I thought for sure she'd get the sack for that"

"But she got her number" Brittany laughed

_**Tina:** Well sometimes I go out by myself, and I look across the water_   
_**Mercy:** And I think of all the things, what you're doing, and in my head I paint a picture_

"Ahh" Britt screamed at Mike pulling her off the chair to have a dance

_**Quinn:** Cos since I've come on home, well my body's been a mess_   
_**Rachel:** And I've missed your ginger hair, and the way you like to dress_   
_**Mercy:** Won't you come on over, stop making a fool out of me_   
_**All:** Why don't you come on over Valerie? Valerie? Valerie? Valerie?_

"That song just suited her, she was right" Brittany laughed "I remember she always had to be right about everything"

"Except when you told her she was wrong" Sam laughed

"Yeah" Brittany giggled "Except when I told her, I think our first argument might have been when I told her to go back to college, that was nearly two decades ago and for us that side of our relationship didn't get much worse, until the children of course"

"That was the topic of the majority of our calls" Mercy laughed

"Santana was so damn strict about everything, Paige couldn't be a cheerleader, Grey couldn't have his friends over, especially if it was a female, the boy was 16 for crying out loud, and she was still wrapping him in cotton wool" she laughed "She's forever telling them how their lives aren't going to end up. Paige totally blindsided her when she decided to leave home for college, she hung on, she really did, but Paige, as you know, is mini me and she wasn't having it at 19 she ran"

"Don't they all?" Sam laughed

"Well Angel didn't Rachel snapped

"Well Connor did" Artie snapped back at her

"Anyway" Mercy fanned the flames on that one and brought it back to Brittany "Arguments?" they'd got her talking she didn't want it stopped 

"Oh gosh" Brittany giggled "I remember we had this massive argument once because I'd used a new tea towel" she laughed covering her mouth

"A tea towel?" Artie asked laughing

"Yeah, she was getting ready for our parents to come round, Grey was moving to France for two years and she'd decided she was going to surprise him with a family meal" she laughed "The parents were coming up to cook all his favourite foods, Paige had practiced some song he liked and everything. About three days before the big day I spilt red wine all over the counter, I grabbed the bottle and the nearest cloth I could find to stop it running down the cupboard door and onto the floor, it just happened to be one of her new bright yellow tea towels, for the special occasion"

"So didn't you just wash it?" Mercy asked

"That would have been too simple for Brittany" she waved her finger speaking "No I actually put it at the bottom of the wash basket hoping she'd see it days later, I didn't realise she'd want the washing out the way before they arrived, she went ballistic" she rolled her eyes at the memory "Speaking Hispanic, Jamaican, Italian and I think the other one sounded German"

"So you were oblivious to most of it?" Matt laughed

"You know me well" she giggled "Such a turn on" she giggled embarrassed for having said that out loud "She was on fire"

"Song coming on" Mercy held her hand in the air before singing the first line to get the band involved

_**Mercy:** She's just a girl, and she's on fire, hotter than a fantasy, longer like a highway_   
_**Quinn:** She's living in a world, and it's on fire, feeling the catastrophe, but she knows she can fly away_   
_**Tina** : Oh, she got both feet on the ground, and she's burning it down_   
_**Rachel:** Oh, she got her head in the clouds, and she's not backing down_

_**All** : This girl is on fire, this girl is on fire, she's walking on fire, this girl is on fire_

"She was really the genius" Brittany smiled at the memory, looking at Sam, Santana had sang that song because of him, "Funny you should have chosen that song Mercy" Sam looked at her distracted by Mercy grabbing his hand, he turned and smiled at his wife "The proposal was pretty public" she looked around the table "You guys were there" she smiled at nodding heads "But nobody was there for the proposal night" she wiggled her eyebrows "It was electric" she smiled "Don't worry, it's clean, making out was the last thing on our minds"

"Really?" Mike asked laughing "That really doesn't sound like Santana"

"Oh that night it didn't seem like it was either of us" she laughed "I found myself learning her all about astrology, you know that's my thing?" she asked

"Yeah" Sam replied laughing awkwardly

"Well we went to MIT for a week, I was in my element, two things I was good at in the same place" she grinned "She actually had a really good time and learned some stuff, I personally think she got serious about her life after that visit"

"Yeah she came back and tried to pinch my spot " Rachel huffed, "Pissed me right off, her turning up like that"

"I remember" Kurt laughed "Those slaps were classic"

"She didn't tell me about that" Brittany looked at Rachel

"Oh she just auditioned as my extra and didn't even tell me, of course I went all Rachel about it and we ended up slapping each other before I walked out"

"And there was me thinking it was all over some damn dress" Brittany laughed

"It was more over a song, she'd sung one of my signature songs, and I'd never say this to her face, but it was better than my version" Rachel laughed before starting in on the song

_**Rachel:** Don't tell me not to live, just sit and putter, life's candy and the sun's, a ball of butter, don't bring around a cloud, to rain on my parade_

_**Mercy:** Don't tell me not to fly, I've simply got to, if someone takes a spill, it's me and not you, who told you you're allowed, to rain on my parade_

_**All Girl:** I'll march my band out, I'll beat my drum, and if I'm fanned out, your turn at bat, sir, at least I didn't fake it, hat, sir, I guess I didn't make it_   
_**Quinn:** But whether I'm the rose, of sheer perfection, or freckle on the nose, of life's complexion, the cinder or the shiny apple of its eye_   
_**Tina:** I gotta fly once, I gotta try once, only can die once, right, sir? Ooh, life is juicy, juicy, and you see, I gotta have my bite, sir_

"Seriously" Sam laughed when they stopped "You can't leave it there without doing the iconic note"

"Rachel" Quinn encouraged

"I haven't warmed up, I can't do shit on the hop" she laughed 

"No problem" Mercy fanned "I've got this" Mercy smiled nodding to the band to carry on playing

_**Mercy:** Eye on the target and wham, one shot, one gun shot, and bam, hey, Mister Arnstein, here I am...._

_**All:** I'll march my band out, I will beat my drum, and if I'm fanned out, your turn at bat, sir at least I didn't fake it, hat, sir, I guess I didn't make it_  
 _Get ready for me, love, cause I'm a comer, I simply gotta march, my heart's a drummer, nobody, no, nobody, is gonna rain on my parad_ e

"She got the part" Brittany smiled

"Just before that she sang that song remember?" Brittany looked at Sam " _ **She only knows how I feel, I only know what she's like, when she needs me, oh how she needs me...**_ "

"No I don't" he replied looking around the table awkwardly

"You don't?"

"No" his tone frustrated, the conversation leaving Mercy wondering why the mood had switched just then, "I think that's a good place to take a comfort break" Sam smiled into the camera "Back in five" he got up and rushed off, Mercy watched him rushing off in the direction of the bathroom

**Comfort Break**

"Do you think this is helping her?" Kurt sat in Sam's empty chair asking Mercy

"I'm hoping it is, it's the first time she's talked about Santana in months, it's got to mean something"

"I believe it is" Quinn popped her head into the conversation "She's leaps ahead of where I was at this stage three years ago. It's just an observation but she seems to have made a friend of Sam" Quinn just had to get that in

"We're not exclusive on the friend front" Mercy told her rolling her eyes and shaking her head at the girls underlying suggestion "They've been friends since school haven't they?"

"Yep, but word of advice" Quinn tapped her nose looking at Sam and Brittany in conversation "I'd try and keep a tight leash, she's a free bi-sexual now"

"Bi-sexual?" Mercy asked, something else she really didn't know about the girl "I trust Sam" she looked at mischievous Quinn cutting her eyes at her "All men aren't the same"

"But they're still men" Quinn held her hands up before walking off, Mercy watched her walk, she swore she'd been right about that Quinn woman all along, she really did have a thing for Sam

"Don't look at me for help you know how I feel" Kurt held his hand up stopping the comment from coming out of Mercy's mouth

"Mercy" Sam walked over to them "Brittany asked us to go to dinner next Wednesday, how are we fixed?"

"I don't know, I'd need to check our diary"

"Blaine and Kurt are going to be there" he looked down at Kurt

"Yeah?" Kurt asked surprised "We must be free then"

"We'll move some stuff around if we have to, tell her yes" Mercy smiled, she could do with spending some time with this girl to find out where her mind was, Quinn was sneaky sometimes, but why would she be dropping grieving Brittany in it, if there was nothing there

"Great" he smiled bending to kiss her cheek before moving off again, he went to join Artie, Mike and Matt, the laughter quickly erupting

"Mercy" Rachel came over to the table with two drinks, offering her a cold tea "I wanted to have a quick word about Quinn"

"What about her?" Kurt asked

"Well" she smiled at the cheek of him "She's still dealing with stuff I think, she's so bitter I know there's a story behind there" she tapped her glass, they knew there was more

"What is it Rachel?" Kurt asked impatiently "You've already sown the seed"

"Just watch her" she looked at Mercy warning her before swiftly leaving the table

"What the hell is it with all his damn friends" Mercy asked Kurt frustrated

"What, you mean apart from the fact that, except Mike, they're all females?" Kurt asked sarcastically

"Let's finish Britt's healing and if we've got time, we'll address whatever this is with Quinn" Mercy cut her eye at his suggestion, they were all as bad as each other

"Come on guys back to the purple table" Sam called across the room, everyone in haste to get back to it

**Purple Table Talk**

"We'd got to Rachel sharing about her favourite memory of Santana" Mercy smiled pulling things back "So in the last half of the session I think you'd just about got past the proposal" she looked at Brittany to carry on

"The wedding was... well you were all there, it was spectacular, we had a great time, went on a super honeymoon, thankfully the family were behind us by then, everyone was on board with us being together, they were even happier when we told them we were thinking of adopting straight away" she looked around the room smiling "Enter Grey the first love of our lives with his raggedy blond hair, brown eyes and lightly tanned skin he was a perfect mix of us, and then four years later Paige his natural sister joined the clan, we felt complete" Brittany smiled "Of course after that we spent a year going through that nasty law suit thing with Paige, her parents wanting her back and everything but you know Santana, tooth and nail because Grey knew her as his sister now and we all loved her and if she wasn't going to be with her brother who was she going to be with?"

"How is Grey, haven't seen him in a while" Blaine asked

"He's good, they both are, got a total car crash for a Mom right now, but they're helping me mend"

"They're good children" Quinn agreed "You guys did good"

"Thank you" Brittany smiled at her "We're surviving, every day's a struggle for all of us but we're getting there"

"I have a song" Tina raised her hand

_**Tina:** Don't know why, I'm surviving every lonely day, when there's got to be, no chance for me_   
_**Quinn:** My life would end, and it doesn't matter how I try, I gave it all so easily, to you my love,_

_**Mercy:** To dreams that never will come true, am I strong enough to see it through, go crazy is what I will do_   
_**All:** If I can't have you, I don't want nobody baby, if I can't have you, oh oh oh oh, Oh_   
_If I can't have you, I don't want nobody baby, if I can't have you, oh oh oh_

"Well she did become famous, I'll give her that" Mike laughed "Book, modelling, TV shows, songs she got it all"

"All of it" Mercy smiled at the memory of her friend "I remember her wanting fame so bad she could taste it" she laughed "We talked about that book she wrote way before she even started it, she said it was going to be revealing and coined the phrase sorry not sorry during our conversation from something you'd said once" she looked at Brittany, her eyes catching her lovingly glaring at Sam again, he wasn't looking or at least he was pretending not to see it, but Mercy was observant, her gut instinct kicked in, after nearly 26 years of stress free married bliss she needed to bring this bitch's name into her house, something was off

The conversation carried on, but Mercy's mind started wondering about these people around her table, in her home, she knew Kurt, Artie Matt and Tina they went way back she'd always felt safe with them. Mike, Rachel, Quinn, Santana and Brittany, on the other hand were friends Sam had from school, she'd sort of got involved with them through the show, they all seemed like one big happy family. Back then Rachel was with Finn, Quinn was with Noah, Artie and Tina, Blaine and Kurt and of course Santana and Brittany were married so she just saw them as other couples in the business, that it was alright to make acquaintance with, now she was thinking all sorts.

She looked at Sam, he'd never said anything to her about them, actually she sat remembering they'd promised never to have conversations about ex's, and never had in the 25 years they'd been together it never mattered, but chillingly, it did now.

"I know" she heard Sam's voice jerking her out of her thoughts, reminding her she was on camera right now, he was looking at Brittany, her hand fanning for them not to bother, she felt stupid to ask what was happening she sat silently trying to grab hold of the conversation again

"Finn's passing was hard" Rachel repeated "It was hard for all of us, he was the first one of the old crew to leave"

"I remember" Quinn hissed at her

"I guess we have that in common, losing our husbands" Rachel looked at her

"I can only tell you that there is no formula to follow in this bereavement process Britt, everyone grieves differently but being able to write about it helped me, at least I think it did" Quinn told them "When Noah took his life I was devastated, the usual stuff went through my head you know, what did I miss, why wasn't I there for him, what a crap wife I was, I really destroyed myself with that guilt" she smiled embarrassed

"It wasn't your fault" Sam told her

"I think I'm learning that now" she smiled at him "I'm way down the road on that one, I learned to take it one day at a time, writing is keeping me occupied, and it took a while, but I even learned to change my routines to help me get on with my life"

"The routine thing helps" Rachel nodded

"Moving away from near his family helped too, I thought I was going to have to play the merry widow forever, not that I stopped loving Noah, just.. well I don't know what they expected, I just didn't think they needed to see me with someone who wasn't their son, I guess"

"I hear that" Brittany pipped in surprising them all "I guess that's the next thing I have to do" she smiled "I mean don't get me wrong the family have been nothing but supportive, but I'm conscious I'm their memory of her, just like they're mine, and Santana would be so sad if I didn't carry on with my life" she wiped the tear off her face "and I need to get out of this colour, I can hear Tana telling me, it does nothing for me" she laughed weakly, picking at her black trousers

"That's what I'm learning, as selfish as it feels and as guilty as I get sometimes about it, I have to carry on, with Beth I can't afford time for regret" she smiled "I have a song" she held her hand up

_**Quinn:** He left no time to regret, kept his lips wet, with his same old safe bet_   
_**Rachel:** Me and my head high, and my tears dry, get on without my guy_

_**Mercy:** And I tread a troubled track, my odds are stacked, I'll go back to black_

_**Tina:** We only said good-bye with words, I died a hundred times, you go back to her_   
_**Brittany:** And I go back to black, black I'll go back to I'd go back to_

_**All:** We only said good-bye with words, I died a hundred times, you go back to her and I'd go back to black_

"You're being very brave" Sam tapped her shoulder

"I never want to wear black again" Brittany cried into her hands, Sam looked awkwardly at her clearly in a dilemma, smiling when Mike finally put his arm around her and let her cry

"That's the dark world that I live in now" Quinn told her, Kurt looked across the table at Mercy

"Truth table" his voice just above a whisper

"Beth she took her Dad's death really badly, she blamed me of course she did, there must have been signs that I didn't see because I was too busy with work, her or my damn self, as I said that cloak held me down for a long while. But when I finally got out of it and tried to pick myself up it was like she resented me for still being alive. I'm trying to have a relationship, it's been 3 years since Artie and I have been loosely dating and for the life of me I'm juggling a life with him and a relationship with my daughter that's toxic. She hates the very ground I walk on, and refuses to believe I didn't send her father to his death" she blarted out with barely a breath in between

"I guess she knows now" Artie smiled at the camera

"I guess she does" Quinn smiled at him "It feels like a weights lifted" she breathed out heavy

"Wow" Sam gasped

"What are you going to do if she fights against this relationship?" Brittany asked

"Fight back on this one" she grabbed Artie's hand

"What about you Brittany, has this session been helpful?" Mercy asked

"You all know this is the first time I've spoken about Santana since she left me, and it's been hard, but healing I guess, it's been nice to have her as the focus outside of my mind", she looked around the table "I feel remembering about Finn and Noah has really helped give me some focus too, not saying I've made any firm steps forward but I'm pointing in the right direction I think, I guess that's all I have for now" she stopped smiling as a special moment conjured up in her mind "You know she left me too soon, but boy did she leave a legacy, she was a whirlwind that swept through taking no prisoners, I really don't think she has any regrets, she loved her life"

"She did that" Artie smiled at his own memories, everyone sat reflecting until Mercy's voice filled the room

_**Mercy:** For you, there'll be no more crying, for you, the sun will be shining, and I feel that when I'm with you, it's alright, I know it's right_

_**All:** And the songbirds are singing, like they know the score, and I love you, I love you, I love you, like never before._

_**Mercy:** Ooh, ooh, and I wish you all the love in the world, but most of all, I wish it from myself._   
_**All:** And the songbirds keep singing, like they know the score, and I love you, I love you, I love you, like never before, like never before_

"We were made for each other" Brittany sighed "It wasn't long enough, we were just on the **edge of glory** and then everything was snatched away so suddenly"

"So sad" Matt sighed "For all of them, to die so young, we struggle to find reason"

"We do" Tina agreed

"We could go on for much longer I know but we've had our hour so I guess we'll have to make do for now" Mercy told the camera "We just want everyone out there to know that we truly support each other through these long and painful journey's, and hope you guys keep watching and take care, for those that are going through stuff we've discussed tonight our thoughts and prayers are with you, goodnight"

"Goodnight" everyone echoed, smiling and waving until the camera's closed down

**End of purple Table Talk**

"I thought you were going to sing?" Sam whispered in her ear, shocked when she shrugged him off "What's..."

"Sam" Brittany called from across the room

"A minute" he turned back to Mercy whispering in her ear

"Take the hour, in fact you're on the couch" she got up telling him

"What?" he gasped watching her walk away

"Sam" Brittany called again, he looked at her, looked back at his wife speaking with Kurt, assumed he'd dropped more poison in her ear during the break and went to find out what Brittany wanted

"Britt?" he asked as he got to her

"Walk me out to my car, will you?"

"Britt, I've told you and I mean it, I love my wife, you need to back off, we're not travelling back in time, 30 years is a long time in anybody's book, it's not going to happen please leave me alone" he stood looking around the room as he spoke

"You'll regret it" she smiled with a snarl in her voice and walked off

"Have you told your wife yet?" Quinn was suddenly stood in his face asking

"Quinn" he hissed at how loud she'd said that "Keep you voice down"

"By that you mean no?" she asked looking around the room

Blaine stood watching Mercy throw three shots back, one after the other "Is everything alright Mercy?" he stopped his conversation with Kurt to ask

"I'm fine" she quickly replied before downing shot number four

"We're gonna go, it's clear there's something brewing" Kurt took the drink out of Blaine's hand and set it on the table "Girl if you need a bed just get to mine, any time you know that right?"

"Yeah" Mercy's eyes met his over the rim of her wine glass, before she slammed it down on the table, the clinking of breaking glass alerting everyone it was time to leave

"Gotta go" Artie widened his eyes at Quinn and grabbed her hand "Goodnight" he shouted walking towards the door

"Call me Mercy" Tina called to her, heels clicking fast across the hall, as she flew across the hall at the hands of Mike, Mercy waving her acknowledgement, while Sam stood seeing everyone out before finally closing the door

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he walked towards her asking "That was so embarrassing"

"You know, what the fuck is wrong with me Sam?" she looked up at him asking

"So we got to swearing already, you haven't even bothered to let me know what this is all about, so I can defend myself?"

"The only fucking side there is on this one is my side" she pushed past him

"Mercy" he called after her following her when she didn't respond "What the hell is this about, what did I do?"

"What did you do, are you really asking me that?" she stopped to ask

"I want to know what this is about"

"You know what, I had to figure it out, now it's your damn turn to figure this the fuck out" she snapped turning to carry on up the stairs

"Mercy" he grabbed her arm

"Let me go"

"Not until you tell me what the fuck is going on here"

"I said let go of me Sam" she spat the words at him, her eyes darker than usual, right now they were two strangers looking at each other, he couldn't talk to her like this, he let go

"I don't know what I've done, you're refusing to talk to me" his hands raking through is hair rather than punching something as he followed her up the stairs

"Where are you going?" she turned to ask him

"To bed" he looked at her startled for the question

"I told you, couch, we don't share a room let alone a damn bed anymore" she left him stood wondering what the hell had happened, he made his way back downstairs, through the house and out towards the studio, turning the light on before resting on the closed door, and taking out his phone, Kurt's conversations had never had this effect

"Quinn" he called when she answered her phone "Did you say anything to Mercy tonight?"

"No" she laughed "I told you years ago to come clean to that woman, it's on you now Evans"

"She doesn't know anything about all that" he told her sure of the fact

"Come clean Evans" she snapped her phone shut

"Damn" he walked across the studio, grabbed his guitar and started strumming, he needed to think, his wife was troubled about something, this was new territory for them, they'd never had actual swear arguments before, whatever it was she was hurting, and for that he wasn't in a good place


	4. Rumour Has It - Someone Like You

**The Purple Table Talk**

**Session 2b**

**Rumour Has It - Someone Like You**

**Wednesday**

There were only six people in the world Jones loved as much as he loved the woman he was standing watching right now, he could see she was hurting there'd been an atmosphere in the house for days and Sam had been spending too much time away from home, considering they were supposed to be on a work break. No one was talking about anything, there was an iced chill whenever they were left in a room alone together. Jones knew it was a lost cause trying to get anything out of his daughter she'd go to the grave with anything she needed to say against that man of hers, she loved him much too deep, but right now he had to try

The family would dive into music regularly, it was where they let out all their frustrations with the world together but today she was alone tapping on the ivory keys "Daddy" she stopped singing, smiling at seeing him standing in the doorway "What brings you out here?"

"Worried about you guys" he smiled walking towards her "I remember your Mom used to do the exact same thing when she had things to think about"

"I'm fine" she hugged him "What about you?"

"I told you, I'm worried, you guys have been walking around for days ignoring each other" he sat next to her

"I just can't talk to him about my feelings just now, when I understand it, we'll talk believe me" she laughed

"You know that man worships the ground his family walk on, especially you?"

"Yeah" she turned away from her Dad as she answered, right now she wasn't too sure about that, the children yes, but he was making a fool out of her

"You guys gonna cancel the purple table this week, I mean if your not talking and there's no truth being faced by even the hosts, what's the point?"

"What is the point?" she asked him

"So it's the show, somethings wrong about the show?" he asked, she could feel herself ready to cry, her heart was breaking on the inside and outside she was being strong for her children

"I really don't need to be talking about this with you Dad, I'll speak to Sam when I'm ready" she smiled "Come on sing with me" she looked at the piano "Mom's song" she started the chorus

 **_Mercy:_ ** _And if I'm not the one, holding the smoking gun, when the trumpets call, you can send me to the lord_  
 _Whatever we become, I was there before it all, when the morning comes, you can sing me to the sun_

 **_Jones:_ ** _Walk on water, take me to a space, so be blessed, where I could ease my mind_  
 _I will remember you, I will remember you, I will remember you, I'll remember you_ **'Remember' by Seinabo & Jacob Banks**

"Mm Mm Mm" she shook her head "That voice, just as I remember it" she smiled at her Dad

"Are you two going to be alright?"

"We'll see Daddy" she kissed his cheek, got up, and walked out of the room

This sounded really bad Jones went straight to Pat to hatch their plan, by the evening Pat was waiting for Sam in the kitchen, it was always his first stop when he came into the house "Dad" Sam nodded seeing him sitting at the table "Everything alright?"

"Yeah, just wishing I had your Mom to talk to right now, you?"

"I'd rather not talk about me right now if you don't mind" he smiled opening the fridge to grab snacks "Where's Grace?" he asked after the absent cook

"I asked her to give us a minute"

"We need a minute?" his head popped out of the fridge to look at his Dad

"Yeah, have a seat for a second"

"Dad if this is about Mercy and me I..."

"It's about you son" Pat cut into his conversation "I of all people know, there's no conversation I could have with you about your own wife" he sighed "Whatever this is it's hurting you to the bone and I just want to check in, I mean, are you dealing with this?" 

"Truth, not really, all this is alien to me, to us, I don't even know what the hell it's about, I'm giving her the space she needs to work it out, but it's breaking my heart" his shoulder sank

"Can you think of anything you might have done?"

"No" he looked at his Dad "I've never done anything to hurt my family"

"Son" Pat grabbed his hand and looked into his eyes "You're going to have to look back at what brought you here, find something, anything that might have triggered this and fix it, because a night out of your marital bed is laughable, but a week" he shook his head "Is not good" he let his hand go and walked out the room leaving Sam to reflect on their conversation

That evening Sam decided he needed to take the situation in hand, his Dad had put everything into perspective for him, Pat was right, Sam was expecting things to just blow over, he knew if there was anything true about his wife, she could hold a grudge for years, but when it counted she generally saw sense and caved in, this was all taking too long.

They were sat in the lounge Mercy listening to music while reading a book, Sam sat opposite her pretending to be paying attention to his tablet with his earphones in "Mercy" he sat up in the couch took his earphones out and looked at her "Mercy" he moved forwards sharply catching her attention

"What?" she looked at him asking without taking the headphones off

"We, take those off" he signalled for her to do as he'd asked, after the stare down she rolled her eyes and took them out "We need to talk about this, we need to sort it out, just tell me what this is about and I promise I'll sort it"

"Promises, again, really?" she asked putting the headphones back on

"Mercy" he got up leaned across the table and dragged the headphones off her ears "I won't be ignored" he hissed at her

"You won't be ignored?" she huffed "Well neither will I" she grabbed her headphones and stood up to leave

"This whatever it is, is getting sorted tonight" he grabbed her arm

"Let me go" she hissed at him

"Sit down" he shouted at her

"What?" she gasped at his raised voice

"Sit the fuck down" he shouted, pushing her to sit back on the couch

"So now you're adding abuse to the pile of shit things you've done to me?

"What?" he stepped back gasping at her allegations "Abuse, what the fuck is wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me?" she sprung back up shouting at him "Other than living with a pathological fucking liar?"

"Have you gone mad or something?" he shouted back

"I hate you Sam Evans" she hissed at him "I fucking hate you"

"Yeah?" he stepped in front of her "Well I hate this fucking version of Mercy Evans too" he hissed back at her

"Now we're getting to the fucking truth" she nodded her head like she was ready for a fight

"I'm not doing this with you Mercy" he held his hand up at her "I..." he grabbed his cardigan, wishing it was her throat, and left the room

Riya had been upstairs practicing her dance routine for her recital the coming Saturday afternoon, it had been keeping her awake for days now, she thought she'd just about got it and couldn't wait for her parents to see the final result. Running down the stairs she'd just about moved the door handle when she heard her Mom shouting and swearing, rolling her eyes at her Mom demanding perfection again from her publicist. She was totally distort when she heard her Dad's voice responding she stood listening, tears in her eyes as they ripped each other apart.

She ran as fast as she could back to her room crying into her quilt, this wasn't how her life was, her parents had never raised their voices to her, let alone to each other, she called her brother "Yaya what's up?" Leif answered the phone concern in his voice "Yaya what's the matter, what's happened?" aware she was crying

"Mom and Dad" she finally gasped through her sobs

"Are they hurt?" he asked getting dressed as he spoke

"Yes" she got out before the bawling took over again

"What happened, Riya you have to talk to me what happened?" Leif shouted down the phone

"Mom and Dad are getting a divorce" she cried down the phone

"Surely you heard that wrong" he laughed "You sure she's not just pregnant?"

"Don't be so disgusting" she hissed at him "They were arguing, swearing at each other then Dad said I'm not doing this with you anymore and left the house"

"I'm on my way, I'll pick Gen and Nour up on the way, they're in town" Leif told her

"Hurry up, I'm scared" Riya called down the phone before she heard the click

Leif, Nour and Gen got home within the hour, Mercy was already up in her room and Sam was in the studio oblivious to anything going on in other parts of the house. The four children sat in Riya's room getting updated on what was happening with their parents "It's all quiet now" Nour observed

"I bet you anything he's not in there" Leif told them looking out the window "He's in the studio"

"This is bad" Gen shook his head

"If I know Mom, and I do, whatever this is, she'll take the hurt to the grave with her" Leif told them

"She'll forgive him, what did he do anyway forget when they last had sex or something?" Nour asked laughing

"Don't be so grouse" Riya squirmed

"How do you think we got here?" Gen laughed at his little sister

"That was then" she giggled

"Just 14 years ago" Nour nodded "My guess is they're like freaking rabbits" she giggled

"Please" Riya held her hand up for the conversation to take a different turn

"What about an intervention, turn that purple table talk on them" Leif suggested

"I don't think I'd want the world to know our family business" Gen told him 

"It doesn't have to be public, we could do it tomorrow night before the crew get here on Saturday, what do you think?" he looked at his siblings

"Are we really ready for them to disclose things to us?" Gen asked

"Mom will never go for it" Nour told them

"Dad might if we ask nicely Yaya" Gen looked at their little sister

"No pressure then" Yaya giggled

"I don't think we should ask, we should just call them in, don't give them a choice" Leif told them

"Yeah I'll speak to Gramps in the morning" Gen told them

"And I'll set the purple table up, ready for the showdown" Nour laughed

"Wait" Riya calmed them all down "What do we want from all of this?"

"We need our parents not to split up" Leif told her

"True" Gen replied

"Come on get some sleep, big day tomorrow" Leif hugged Riya "Don't stress about this, just focus on your recital, we've got this covered" his whispered in her ear, before shuffling everyone out of her room "Goodnight"

"Goodnight" all three echoed before the door shut and Riya was alone again, still upset enough to cry herself to sleep

**Thursday**

The morning just about broke by the time Gen was sitting telling their Gramps about the intervention, breakfast was quiet, until their Mom came down and saw them all sitting there, she cried with joy, asking what they were all doing there, of course they kept it light, saying they were in for Riya's performance on Saturday, missing each other and even planning for the twins birthday that was nearly three months ahead

"I don't know that I get this planning thing, it's a new for you guys" she laughed, walking over to Grace to get her breakfast "Thank you" she took it and went back to find a seat amongst her children "So what's the plan for today?" she looked at Leif

"No plans just yet, we just got up, but we'll keep you posted" he replied "Are you busy this afternoon?"

"No why?"

"Just keep it open" he gave her that killer smile of his

"I'll see you guys later" she got up "I've got a song to finish up" she got to the kitchen door before turning back to look at them all "It's great to have you all home" she missed talking to her best friend, but now the children were here they were the best substitute

"She won't be saying that later" Nour laughed as the door closed

Afternoon came fast everyone sat at the purple table looking at their mobiles "Okay" Leif announced "Let's do this" Gen and Riya picked their phone up and made the call to their parents, Mercy turned up first

"What are we doing in here?" she walked in slowly, looking at her children before focusing on the Dad's

"Where's the problem?" Sam walked in seconds after her "What's going on?" he looked at Riya for an answer

"This is an intervention" Leif told them "Could you guys have a seat please?"

"Who are we intervening on?" Sam asked walking towards the table

"Can we just agree, this is a place of safety, anything said here stays here and no one gets reprimanded for what they say?" Nour asked "Promise?" she held her hand up

"And nobody leaves the room until this is sorted" Gen added

"Mom?" Leif grabbed her attention

"Okay I promise" she rolled her eyes "But if this is about money..."

"It's not about money" Leif laughed

"Dad" Riya looked at her Dad waiting for his response, everyone sat staring waiting for his answer "Dad?"

"Okay I promise" he looked at Mercy "So what's this about?"

**Purple Table Talk**

"We understand that you guys are very private people, we are too, but this" Leif pointed at everyone around the table "Is family and when one hurts we all do"

"What?" Sam asked wondering what was going on

"Yaya called me last night crying her heart out, she heard you two arguing and **rumour has it** that you guys were getting a divorce, she called me" Leif told them

"And we've decided to save our family with this intervention" Nour told them, Sam and Mercy looked at each other horrified

"Sorry baby, we didn't mean for you to hear that, it's just tension" Mercy told her

"No it isn't, there is something going on" Pat told them "I don't know what it is, but there is something"

"Are you missing your Mother?" Jones asked Mercy

"What?" Mercy gasped at the random question "Of course I miss Mom, every day but I cope with that"

"How do you cope, you've never talked about much of it to me?"

"I talk to..." she looked at Sam, knowing that a lie was about to come out "I talk to her, I sing with you"

"I knew you should have seen a counsellor back then" Jones slammed at his daughter "And now it's affecting your family"

"I told you" she snapped "I'm dealing with my feelings about Mom"

"Is it you then?" Pat asked his son

"What, no, why would it be me, I talk to you all the while" he told his Dad

"Is it the baby?"

"Baby?" Nour asked shocked looking at her siblings "You're pregnant?"

"No sweet" Sam stared at his Dad "I can't believe you brought that up here, in front of the children"

"What baby?" Leif asked not taking his eyes off his Mom, she looked at Sam, in shock

"We had a baby boy before you" Sam looked at Leif "He didn't go full term, we lost him and it nearly broke us"

"There's another one of us?" Gen asked

"There nearly was, he didn't come out breathing, they tried but he was much too small" Sam told them

"You know that's all tragic and everything Dad, but we have a right to know we had a big brother" Leif looked at his Dad with his Mom's mad eyes in green

"It was a really difficult time for us son, we still struggle with it today, there were a lot of what if's"

"What happened?" Gen asked, his voice calming the situation

"We lost our baby boy" Sam told him

"It was all my fault" Mercy butted in

"No it wasn't, it was nobody's fault it just happened" Sam told them

"It was my fault" she looked at him, begging him to let her tell her truth

"Mercy" he thought she'd relinquished blame years ago

"I should have stopped work, I was filming, singing, touring, I should have stopped" she held her face in the hands and cried

"Mercy" Sam was sad "I'm as much to blame, I should have made her stop work, but I was just as busy doing my own thing, we just thought everything would be okay, until it wasn't"

"Damn straight it wasn't" Leif told them anger in his voice

"Mom was ill, and that added extra stress, it happened to us, he was ours to grief" Sam snapped

"I'm sorry, you're right you have a right to know about your brother" Mercy told her children

"What's his name?" Riya asked

"Clay" Sam told her

"Can we go see Clay's grave sometime, as a family" Nour asked, everyone looked at her, it was very rare she said anything nice

"Sure" Sam smiled, less defensive now they weren't attacking their Mom

"So it's not your Mothers, it's almost not the baby, has the racist stuff started again?" Jones asked

"I wouldn't be surprised after that show the other week" Pat told them

"No" Mercy giggled at his ridiculous "We've laid that to bed years ago"

"You might think you have but we deal with that stuff every day" Leif told them "It's part of being black isn't it?"

"It shouldn't be" Sam snapped at him

"Sorry but it is Dad, we wear it, walk it and live it, it's real for us" Gen looked around the table

"I hear that" Jones smiled sitting forward "I get that we're a interracial family, that life is rough on the outside, for all of us, but in here" he pointed his finger on the table "It shouldn't be, this is our normal and it upsets everyone when our normal is disrupted"

"I hear that Pops but..." Mercy tried to deflect

"There are no but's sweet, those are facts" Jones told her, sternly

"Stop deflecting, if that's not the issue, what is it?" Pat asked

"I don't know" Sam told his Dad

"Come on Dad" Gen forgot himself for a second

"Seriously, I don't" his Dad answered him

"If he's done something, the least you could do is let him know what it is" Jones told his daughter

"We promised we wouldn't" she told her Dad

"Promised what?" Sam asked, everyone looking at Mercy for the response "Your..." he rolled his eyes "You're bringing some third person shit in the house aren't you?" he looked at her disgusted

"I'm sorry, I felt it, I thought I saw it the other night, and I have to trust my damn gut"

"How about trusting me?" Sam shouted at her banging the table

"Sam you don't understand I feel this so strong, I know it's happening or happened or something, I know" she looked into his eyes "Just tell me the truth"

"Not in front of the children" his leg pushing the chair out from under him as he got up "Not here"

"So there is a truth?" she asked

"Yes but not how you think" he couldn't lie, she'd asked him a direct question

"Circle of truth" Leif reminded him

"No one leaves before this is sorted" Nour jumped up

"You cheated on Mom?" Gen got up flipping the chair 

He stood staring at his family around the table, wishing he's said something way back when things wouldn't have seemed so secretive and guilt ridden. Quinn was right when she'd met Mercy on set that day, she'd told him to tell her everything. He'd wanted that job so bad back then he didn't think twice about not telling her, she would have outright told him to pack it up, or made his time there so difficult, he'd have thrown in the towel to save their marriage.

"Dad" Riya's heart breaking in her voice 

"There's nothing happening now" he sat back down and grabbed Mercy's hand hoping she was hearing him

"When did it stop?" her eyes closed while the index finger of her right hand rubbing the centre of her forehead trying to release the ball of tension that had suddenly lodged there, she was feeling sick and dizzy as Kurt's words rang in her ear "Who was it?" she banged her head with her hand trying to get rid of the pain 

"I need to tell the whole story, it didn't happen in isolation" he looked at her

"Who was it?" she looked up at him revealing the tears falling down her face "I trusted you, I've always trusted you"

"You can trust me Mercy, I'd never do anything to hurt our family, you know that, you know me"

"I thought I did, I've been living a lie with a stranger all these years"

"No you haven't, you've been living with the best version of me" he let her hand go "But I had a life before us, one that we agreed not to talk about I might add"

"Well now that past is affecting our future so..." Gen stood looking at his Dad "What?" he asked him for the strange look on his Dad's face, he was ready to fight this man for his Mother 

"Just..." Riya put her stress ball in his hand "Whoever's got this talks"

"Do you want it?" Sam asked his wife, handing her the ball "I really don't want to do this in front of the children" Mercy looked at him, she couldn't believe her life was falling apart after everything they'd been through to hold it together

"Could we just have an hour" she looked around the table "It's not fair to do this in front of everyone" they sat watching everyone leave, waiting for the door to close before looking back at each other "Talk" she snapped at him "And don't leave anything out"

"Okay I knew them before I met you, you knew that?"

"Yes, I knew that Sam" her voice trembling for what she was about to hear

"Well, I didn't tell you how well I knew them, I used to date Brittany at school" he stopped waiting for her to say something but she just stared at him waiting for him to carry on "Okay, so Quinn was my first girlfriend, we dated for all of a month, I don't really count her because she ended up cheating on me with Finn, so we broke up"

"Rachel's first husband?" Mercy asked shocked

"Yeah, he sort of floated between them before finally dumping her for Rachel" he frowned "About a year later I went out with Brittany" he raked his hand through his hair "We were together for the last year or so of school"

"So she is bi-sexual?" Quinn's conversation confirmed

"Yeah, she'd finished with Santana, for sleeping with Noah and I guess we were both at a loose end" he leaned back in the chair closed his eyes and raked is hair back again "She got pregnant"

"There's a child?" Mercy gasped

"No" he jumped forward in the chair "Well yes but..."

"Fuck, oh my God, I...I can't breathe" she buried her head in her hands

"Mercy, she didn't have it, we went to the clinic, we were both too young, plus she was in love with Santana"

"Is this a fucking dream?" she gasped "Am I gonna wake the fuck up?"

"Babe I wanted to tell you, I meant to tell you, but then we made that stupid promise, and I just.."

"Couldn't find it in your heart to tell me you'd had another child, one before Clay, all we went through with him, and you never once thought to tell me you'd been through it all before?"

"I hadn't been through it" he spat "Clay's passing was different, we'd made plans, we wanted our child, my hearts still breaking, seeing him, lifeless..." he cried at the vivid picture

"I don't know what the hell to think right now" she cried into her hands

"Babe" he hugged her, a feeling of helplessness flooding over him

Her head suddenly popping up, she pulled away from him, now she was angry "So the part in the TV show, that wasn't accidental was it?"

"I knew they were in it, Artie didn't know I knew them before he cast me"

"But they told you what he needed didn't they, or was that me?"

"Both" he held his head in his hands "There was so much going on back then, I needed to be near home, it was the best I could do at the time"

"We were financially secure then Sam, you didn't need to work" she shouted at him

"I needed to work Mercy, everything was too heavy for me, I didn't know what to do to help you, I was at breaking point" his voice begging her to understand

"But... you never said" she looked into his eyes, he couldn't tell what was going on in her mind "So how did you hook up, to find out about the show I mean?"

"Mercy" he moaned

"Everything Sam, how did you meet up?"

"Quinn"

"How did Quinn know to get hold of you?"

"We've always been in contact" he looked at her

"Always?"

"Yeah, she's kind of my best friend from back then"

"She's your first fuck Sam, not your best fucking friend, God I can't do this" she got up raking her hand through her hair

"No" he stood up "No we never slept together, never"

"But she's always wanted to?"

"Fuck Mercy" he hissed "If I went round thinking what every woman in the world wanted to do with me, I'd be fucking exhausted, I don't give a fuck what she wants, I know what she's getting"

"What, private conversations behind my back, giggling with your other fucking groupies about dumb Mercy Evans in her perfect little fucked up world"

"Our world is perfect, we have everything we want in it"

"Except I don't want a row of your fucking ex's up in my place"

"Okay" he nodded "They're gone"

"So then why do I feel like the bitch now?"

"What the hell do you want Mercy?" he shouted, she jumped at his response "Sorry, I don't mean to shout, I'm mad with myself, all this could have been avoided if I'd just..." he sat down "So, now Santana's gone Britt see's me as some sort of crutch, I think she thinks we can go back to high school again, I've tried to put her straight, but I don't know if it's grief or what" he pulled her to sit down "That might have been the tension you saw on Saturday, Quinn was telling me to tell you about it, I've been talking to her"

"So why couldn't you come to me?"

"Because I hadn't told you the history, we started clean remember, and I so wanted to keep it that way, I love my family, I love my life with you, I just didn't want to break any of it, do you know how hard I had to search to find **someone like you**?" he looked into her eyes "And I know you'll never ask, but nothing has ever happened between me and anyone else since the day we met" he pulled her by the chin towards him "I love you Mercy Evans, you're my life" he pulled away with tears in his eyes "I'm sorry I hurt you"

"You made me look like a damn fool in front of your friends Sam, I feel like I don't even know them, they've just been laughing at me behind my back" she grabbed his hand "And I know she's like your best friend, but don't be fooled by Quinn, she's into you bad too, I feel it"

"I'm not into her like that, I know she knows that"

"Knowing it and believing it are two different things" she warned "She told me about Britt, in the hope of splitting us up"

"We're stronger than them aren't we?"

"Lies, secret baby's, girlfriends, private conversations, is that what's made us strong?" she huffed at him "You know Kurt's always had something against you, always thought there was something just not right about the squeaky clean Sam Evans, and I've always defended you, against everyone, damn fool me"

"Your not a fool Mercy"

"I feel like one" she looked into his eyes "I don't know if I can come back from this Sam, you hurt me"

"How can I make today better for you?"

"What?" she giggled nervously she wasn't expecting that

"How can I make today better for you?"

"By letting me slap your damn face, hard" she hissed at him

"Violence?" he asked pushing his face out "Okay, slap it" he closed his eyes waiting for her to slap him

She sat looking into the face of the man that was her world, his flickering eyes glistening with tears brimming while his face showed the pain he was in, she grabbed his hand and entwined their fingers, humming the song he'd sang to her in the student bar back then, watching as his watery eyes opened "I believe you Evans" she smiled resting her forehead against his "You're so freaking lucky I'm in love with you still"

"I know that" he smiled wiping his face

"And I know you wouldn't intentionally hurt me"

"I'm glad you know that"

"You sure there's nothing else?"

"Absolutely nothing else" he held his right hand up

"Subject closed, with you" she smiled

"My hearts been on the floor for days" he held his chest his heartbeat fast and strong "Yesterday Dad suggested you wanted a divorce, it scared me to death, I'm sorry I came off all animal, I just couldn't process what that would be like, I..." he searched for a word and found nothing to explain the feeling

"Funnily enough my Dad said something of the sort too" she giggled "You'll never leave me will you?" she looked into his eyes asking

"Don't do that Mercy" his eyes not leaving hers "It breaks my heart to hear you asking me that stuff, you know the answer to that already, I hate that I've put this self doubt in your head"

"I hate that I find myself asking it, but I need to know"

"Never, yesterday, everyday always, I don't see past a life with you, here or up there" his eyes looking up

"You're my everything you know that, right?"

"We know that" he brushed his hand across her cheek

"Should we call them back in, get this over with?"

"Please" he smiled "I've missed my wife"

"How do I look?" she wiped her face

"Is that a trick question?" he got up, wiped his face one last time and walked across the room to open the door "Don't worry we're sorted" he told a worried looking Riya, smiling when she hugged him, they were still a bit teary at seeing their children teary

"Mom" Leif rushed past to see how she was "You alright?" his watery eyes breaking her again

"I'm fine, we're fine" she looked back at Sam coming towards her, all their eyes watery, her hand settling in his lap when he sat next to her, sharing a smile "Okay family" Mercy took the floor "Firstly thank you for the intervention, we didn't even know we needed that" she smiled wiping her tears "Secondly thanks again for your concerns and your guts in coming up against us" she giggled

"Mom and I want you guys to know, we'd never be in a position to be thinking about divorce, I'd never let that happen, I love her too much" Sam pulled Mercy to him

"Now that's Mom and Dad" Nour clapped her hands happy

"I guess we could finish up with a song?" Gen asked "Dad?"

"What do you want to sing?" Sam asked his son

"Anything of yours, with you" he laughed at his Dad trying to get out of it

"I don't know" Sam sat searching his mind for something relevant

"That song you were singing in the studio this morning would be good" Riya suggested "We heard everything" she giggled

"Okay" Sam got up and grabbed a guitar, Leif and Gen following him

"I revisited this old song thinking about your Mom this morning, this is for you" he looked at Mercy "Not quite finished yet but here goes" he strummed, Gen took the drums and Leif took another guitar as they helped their Dad sing **'Miss America' by Adam Halliday**

"I like it" Mercy smiled "For the new album?"

"If you say so" He laughed putting the guitar back to join his wife, it had been nearly a week since he'd touched her

"Just one thing" Gen held his hand up smiling "Remember this is a circle of truth" he frowned suspiciously

"Yeah" Sam looked at him menacingly

"Do you guys still do the nasty?"

"What?" Mercy asked "That's a tap round the head topic" she snapped at him

"But this is a circle of truth" he laughed

"Well we refuse to answer that truth" Mercy tutted at her son

"Out of order Gen" Sam's eyes smiling while his mouth tried to chastise the boy

"Man to man Dad" he pushed some more

"Father to son, out of order" Sam warned

"The fact that they didn't say no straight away means yes" Nour announced, giggling at Riya's cringe

"I remember two people sitting me down like, maybe two years ago asking me that question" Leif laughed

"A few months ago" Gen laughed "So how's it an alright question for you guys and not for us?" 

"Parents" Mercy told him, he took the hint, but Nour's face told him she wasn't finished

"So wait" Nour put her hand up, the attitude behind it showing her Mercy traits "Gen gets the sex conversation and I didn't?" she looked at her Mom, her head wiggling from side to side as she spoke

"It's coming" Mercy laughed "And you can take that base out your voice when you speak to me beloved"

"Sorry" Nour sat back, the wiggling head and the base in her Mom's voice telling her there was no joke there

"Is this over?" Mercy asked

"I guess" Leif looked around the table nodding

"So you guys can tell Grace to leave our dinner wrapped, we'll be down later" Sam laughed getting up, pulling his wife with him

"Told you" Nour fanned at her twin brother "You get too old for it when your about 80" she told him "Sorry Pops" she giggled at her Grandpa's giving each other a look, watching the door close behind their children

"How do you think that went?" Jones asked his Grandchildren

"The Evans household normal is restored, I'd call that a result" Leif replied

"I need to get something to eat, my meds are due" Pat told everyone

"You need to tell Dad, Grandpa" Gen told him concerned

"I will, just let him do this last concert" Pat promised

"You know that's not going to rock with either of them, just do it and get it over with" Nour told him

"Next week" Jones told him "If you don't, I will" he looked at his friend

"Next week, I will" Pat smiled "Before you guys set up another damn intervention" he laughed


	5. Hit Me With Your Best Shot - One Way Or Another

**The Purple Table Talk**

**Session 3**

**Hit Me With Your Best Shot - One Way Or Another**

The last two days had been theirs, there was an air of freedom that had been added to their relationship after all these years, Sam seemed more relaxed having got his horrible secret on the table and Mercy was settling back into loving her husband. Not that she'd ever fallen out of love with him, but she'd had to take him down off that pedestal she'd held him up on for a few days and that had shook her for a hot minute.

The family attended Riya's recital in the afternoon, listened to her sing a very well executed version of **'My Future' by Billie Eilish** getting her a sure pass on her music assignment. They followed that up with a family lunch, some time around the pool when they got back home and then Leif announced it was time to go back to his digs.

"Do you think he's seeing someone?" Mercy asked as the car drove off

"More than likely" Sam laughed "It's Saturday there's nothing else happening at college until term time except a girl"

"I'll drag it out of him next time he's home" she laughed "Come on let's get some us time before the session tonight" she nudged him and walked back into the house " **Hit me with your best shot** " she laughed running up the stairs

"Remember when you complain later, you asked for this" he followed her up the stairs.

Early evening went quickly, they were getting ready for session three, she was armed with a lot more information than she had last week and if those bitches thought their secret was safe, they needed to think again.

"Should I be ready for anything?" Sam asked reading her mind

"No" she smiled up at him stood behind her, she hadn't noticed him standing there, she was busy hatching her plan

"I should" he smiled "I know that look, something's coming"

"Trust me" she grinned

"Oh I trust you" he laughed "I just know you're ready to unleash Mercedes Jones, remember we're on camera"

"I think that makes it all the more exciting" she looked at his reflection for a few seconds "Okay, I'm going to call them out, I guess you know that already, but it will be tame" she checked his reaction "I promise"

"I'm not bothered about them, I don't want you getting hurt, they can be vicious"

"They've only ever met Mercy Evans, they really don't know Mercedes Jones, they're going to find out she bites"

"So what's the topic today?"

"I thought we could delve into that relationships thing, get some clarity on that, it sounded complex when you were telling me about the Quinn and Rachel saga the other night" she laughed "So they were actually in love with the same man?"

"Finn, yeah"

"I would never have seen that, Rachel and he were inseparable"

"That shit went on for a while with him going back and forth before he made his choice"

"Maybe we should talk about what makes for a lasting relationship then?"

"Up to you" he shook his head in approval "Both are a good call" he checked his jeans "How do I look?"

"Really?" she looked at his reflection, her face telling him that was a no brainer

"It would be nice for you to say it with your mouth instead of your eyes sometime" he giggled

"What now?" she turned and grabbed hold of his belt

"Mmm Mmm" his grin widening at her taking him up on it

She looked into his eyes seductively "You look eatable Sam Evans" she smiled pushing him away "Dessert rarely comes before dinner"

"You're such a tease" he stepped back to her

"I'm not teasing, we're not doing this right now" she turned back to the dresser telling him "Every time I get dressed you come off with your mess"

"Can I help it if my wife looks sexy, every time I look at her?"

"I hope not" she giggled, their eyes meeting, she knew he knew what was in her head 

"You're preparing yourself" he sat on the bench beside her "But isn't me going away all the more reason for more?"

"No" she tapped his nose "Because I know me, I get used to getting shit and then I get angry at those I love because I can't have it, and then the pressure comes for all of us, it's my cycle, I know it, and I'm trying to take control of it"

"You won this one" he laughed "Ready?"

"In a minute" she fanned his hand off "Takes time to produce perfection"

"No it doesn't, not for you"

"Props for that Mr Evans" she giggled getting up "Ready" she grabbed his hand "I'm singing the intro, is that alright?"

"More than alright" he nodded his head in agreement

" _ **When you move I**_.."

" _ **Move**_ " he laughed pulling her with him, his phone pinging as they reached the stairs "They're watching us again" he told her "That's Leif saying good luck" they made their way downstairs

"Hi Everyone" Mercy's show business smile presenting itself as they made the bend in the stairs to be presented by Brittany, Quinn, Artie, Tina and Mike in the foyer "Great to see you guys again, a weeks such a long time"

"Sorry we had to bail on the dinner invite Britt, something came up" Sam told her, Mercy watching the woman walking towards her husband and intercepted the hug keeping her talking, while Sam went to say hello to the others and grab drinks. The others arrived shortly after, everyone getting drinks and settling into conversations, Sam watching Mercy skilfully manoeuvring Brittany around the crowd, until they were ready to start their third session around the purple table "Everyone ready?" he asked, moving towards the drawing room, nodding to the camera's to start rolling

**Purple Table Talk**

"So welcome back to week three of our four week purple table talks and tonight we have an extra special treat for everyone, Mercy's going to perform to start the show for us" Sam looked at his wife "When you're ready" he watched her get up to mount the small stage

"I've had a rough week, lots of things happening for me, for us and with Sam due to leave in a few weeks it just made everything a bit more profound" her face twisting at Brittany suddenly occupying her seat "But we're through it now and I guess this song reminded me, reminded us, of the reason why we keep tapping at this thing called our life partnership, determined to make things work" she smiled at Sam trying to distance himself

She started the song singing directly to Sam, **_'Love all your ways, love all your flaws...._** ' he sat remembering them putting that song together, they were against the world as usual, Leif had come home with questions about the colour of his skin, saying he wasn't black but he wasn't white either and why was he being asked to choose a side. Crying at them asking why he needed to choose between his Mom and Dad, it broke their heart.

Sam went to the school of course, to have some strong words with the head master, but he didn't get anywhere they were nowhere near seeing racism as a problem in their upper class school. The following week Leif was taken out the school and sent to a more mixed semi-public school, Sam started reading, he needed answers for himself, his wife and his children, this wasn't something he wanted his children to grow up feeling lost about, it was important they knew who they were. Mercy took to her music and lashed out at the world with this song. Today he knew she was ready to fight a different war, one way bigger than the war she'd fought against that girl at college, who's name he couldn't even remember right now

He hid his smile when she turned to everyone else, singing the chorus to Quinn and Brittany specifically, _**'Cause it's dangerous to let somebody, love you more than you love yourself....'**_ of course she was about to let loose on somebody and sitting watching he really didn't know who first but his guess was that she was going to leave Brittany till last, she might be grieving, and nobody was taking that away from her, but she was playing another game underneath all that grief, and anyone who knew Mercy Evans knew that just wasn't happening on anybody's watch, let alone hers

Her attention turned to Mike, looking randomly at Kurt, Tina and Artie, they'd all been her friends for much longer than the others, she stood wondering if Artie actually knew the clown he'd got himself tied up with, if he didn't he was about to get the quickest master class he'd ever witnessed, because when she dropped it, it was dropping hard _**'Maybe you, maybe you never knew, you could be that someone who's been treating you better'**_

Finally she was coming to the end of her song she left everyone's attention and sung to herself, _**'When you go through changes, hope you love you the same way, love yesterday, everyday, love yourself always....'**_ this was definitely another change in her life, unexpected, but very real and maybe by the end of this session she was going to be left with maybe three faithful friends, but better to be surrounded by the faithful few than the treacherous many, and did she care how Sam would feel about that right now, by the look on his face, she needn't be. **'Yesterday, Everyday, Always' by Tatiana Manaois**.

"Thank you" she smiled, watching Pat move across to Brittany's original seat, giving her the seat on Sam's left, Sam quickly grabbed her hand, settling it in his lap "So I thought we'd talk about, relationships and everything in between" she took care to look around the table as she spoke "Get in touch with our secrets" her eyes settling on Brittany, she didn't care if she was being cruel, what could be more cruel than walking into a so called friends home and attempting to walk out with her husband.

"I think we'll have enough for an hour" Rachel laughed

"Well I'm on husband number... three is it?" Quinn looked at Rachel

"Are you being serious, you don't know how many times you've been married?" Tina asked shocked, looking at Mercy "Who are these people?" she mouthed to her friend, Mercy didn't actually have an answer she just raised her eyebrow

"I moved around for a while, took some time to find my type" Quinn laughed "But when I did it was in the form of Puck, he was my first husband, God that was all so exciting"

"So I guess we're talking sex?" Mercy asked

"Yeah, in the fast lane, that was all about the sex" she grinned at the memory "But I was with Finn at the time so..." she looked around the table

"What?" Tina gasped

"That's anther complication but I'm sure we'll get to me" Rachel laughed

"Water under the bridge" she waved her hand at Rachel "So of course eight months into our relationship Finn finished with me, when he found out I was pregnant with Puck's child, we got married before she was born" she laughed

"I've led such a sheltered life" Tina shook her head

"So that was lust?" Mercy asked 

I've lusted over quite a few guys, but I generally get who I want" Quinn smiled "I grieved for Puck, fell into Matt's bed, and a few others for a while" she looked across at him, "Then I got the part in the show and met and married Mike" she smiled across at him "His life was too hectic we were divorced within six months" she laughed "Nearly four of those months I'd spent alone, but stayed friends"

"Girl you must be worn out" Tina commented sarcastically 

"Then Artie and I got things together" ignoring Tina's comment "We're chalk and cheese really, but somehow we fit, and we like this fit" she looked at her soon to be husband "So five months to our wedding day and I can't wait"

"Wow, I didn't know" Sam smiled "Congratulations" he shook Artie's hand

"So you just hopped from one relationship to another?" Tina asked concerned

"Yeah I guess I did" she smiled, Mercy sat smiling back at her wondering where her time with Sam was in all that story, wanting to ask why she'd left him out of her life storey from back then, and then be so eager to keep him in her life now, but that question was for another time

"How did you guide yourself through all that, emotionally I mean?" Tina asked, Mercy smiled, her girl was researching for another sitcom

"I don't think I've ever sat and thought about it, I'm just living my best life" Quinn laughed

"Your best life being to sleep your way through life, instead of facing up to your real insecurities?" Kurt asked

"I don't have any insecurities" Quinn slammed back at him

"Girl if you think having sex with these random men is how you show love, you have insecurities believe me" Kurt told her

"He's right Quinn" Sam told her "Sex isn't love"

"I know that" she huffed

"Are you hearing this?" Tina asked Artie

"Yeah, I'm cool with it" he smiled

"So let me get this straight" Tina carried on, surely Artie hadn't heard what she'd heard "You never dated anyone because you loved them?" she glanced at Artie worried

"No"

"Okay" Tina widened her eyes and looked at Mercy again, this crew was definitely something different off set

"Nothing so dramatic for me, simple story" Rachel filled the awkward silence "I started out with Jessie, way back, he was super cute" she hugged her arms "I knew back then he was the right fit for me, but my heart was moving in a different direction at that time"

"So you're a two timing hoe too?" Tina asked

"No" Rachel laughed "That's all Quinn, I'd finished with Jessie by the time I got with Finn

"Were there like, only a few guys in your school or something?" Tina asked, trying to get her head around the stories

"There were plenty boys" Rachel laughed "Just very few hot ones"

"I'm just realising I actually don't know any of you people" Mike told them shaking his head

"Anyway" Rachel cut her eye at the comment "Jessie and I split up when he went off to college, I'd tried everything to get Finn away from Quinn, so when the baby thing came up, it was a win for me" she grinned at Quinn "The timing was perfect, I made sure I was irreplaceable, I'd lusted after this guy since I was 16 years old" she laughed "He proposed to me the day we found out I was pregnant with Angel, we got married three months later and had a crazy two years together, I eventually found out they were crazy because he had a drug problem, but I was too late to save him" her face sad as she remembered "That was devastating" everyone sad in memory for a moment 

"It's good to remember sometimes" Quinn smiled 

"I found myself left alone with two babies, I soon picked myself up and went back to studying in New York, and who's the first person I see?" she looked around the table smiling "Jessie" she yelped "And the rest is history we're married and happy"

"I'm a sucker for happy endings" Brittany smiled clapping her hands excitedly

"You knew that already Britt" Rachel told her

"Did I?" she looked at her "Yeah I think I did, it's a good ending anyway"

"I think this is turning into an upside down sex education class" Mercy told everyone "But it might be helping someone out there, like how not to conduct yourself maybe"

"Yeah" Tina sat forward in her chair "My story's pretty tame to what we've heard so far" she giggled

"Tame, thank God it's pitiful" Mike laughed

"Artie was my high school boyfriend, we got Married for love, straight out of college, happy, busy and secure for six years and then one day we realised we'd settled, we tried, we really tried to get that spark back, but after six months of that we finally gave up and decided to be friends" she looked at her ex smiling at him "Our feelings turned into a friendship and I think we're secure in where we are right now" she looked at him

"Yeah, we're good" Artie agreed

"And then of course I got with Mike, love of my damn life, I say thank you to Artie every day for letting me go, I'm so blessed" she kissed her husband

"Thank you for sharing, I guess Kurt, Brittany and I will share after this short break" Sam told everyone getting up to get drinks

**The Comfort Break**

Kurt and Blaine stood nibbling at the snacks "Don't say anything about my blip" Kurt whispered

"I have no intention of airing your dirty laundry in public" Blaine snapped at him "Do you think I'm an idiot?"

"No just that... sometimes.. when we're talking the most random things come out, I was just reminding you that..."

"I know when to keep my mouth shut Kurt"

_**Flashback** _

Kurt was in his elements when Artie announced he wanted to cast a partner for his character, so when Sam Evans walked through the door for an audition he assumed it was to be his partner in the show, Kurt fell in love, his heart was beating out of control, he couldn't talk, he stood taking in the magnificence of this man that was made for him. If he couldn't have him in real life, he was going to have him on set, he told Artie straight away he knew Sam was the one, and waited with baited breath for him to be cast

It seemed like Sam was waiting around all day, he was having a good time catching up with the girls on set, Kurt was a little put off by it all, if he was gay why was he getting all this female attention, there was something funny going on there, but he really couldn't put his finger on it

"Hi I'm Kurt" he finally got off set and went to meet up with his future love interest

"Sam" Sam held his hand out for shaking "Are you on the show too?"

"Yeah, their auditioning for my partner" Kurt told him

"So you play Karen?" he asked concerned

"It's Kharam" Kurt told him laughing

"Okay" Sam smiled at the girls stood grinning, they'd talked him into auditioning for this role, so they knew it was the role of a gay person "You got me" he laughed with Santana and Brittany

"Bitch" Santana hissed at him laughing as they walked off

"What's wrong with her?" Kurt stood asking him

"It's all good" Sam laughed, he didn't care, he was walking away anyway

"Sam" the coordinator called his name

"Break a leg in there" Kurt, smiled and pointed to the audition room

"Thanks" Sam told him walking towards the door, next thing he knew Sam had somehow walked through the audition, and not only has he got the role, but he'd convinced Tina and Artie to make a character for him.

Half way through the next season Kurt was more than happy to see his best friend walk through the door, it was like they'd never parted company they were best friends again. He introduced her to Blaine, the guy that had got the role of his partner, and then turned into his real life partner, watching as Sam came up behind her and kissed her neck

"God this is your Sam?" Kurt asked shocked

"Yeah this is my husband, didn't he tell you?" she looked at him puzzled 

"Why would he?" Kurt asked, looking at Blaine in shock

_**End Of Flashback** _

"How are you two?" Mercy came up behind them asking

"Fine, just wondering where this is going" Kurt asked

"Well we've been talking about relationships all week" Mercy told him

"You're not fooling me Mrs Evans, I know something is going down" Kurt warned her "And whatever shit you're throwing, I pray it doesn't catch me" he laughed "Is he treating you right?" he looked over at Sam stood talking to Artie and Matt

"More than alright as always" Mercy looked over at Sam catching the smile he had for her, and sending it right back

"You two are cresting" Kurt giggled

"Have been for quite a while now" she laughed "Nearly thirty years"

"I love that about you two, this whole session should have been about you guys" Blaine told her "You have all the answers"

"I wish" she laughed attracting everyone's attention "Should we get started again?" she called across to Sam

"Yeah come on everyone back to the table, we've got another twenty five minutes to fill" Sam announced

**Purple Table Talk**

"Where were we?" Mercy put her glass on the table and sat down

"It was probably us" Kurt looked across the room sheepishly,

"Spill" Mercy laughed

"Nothing to spill, you know that girl, Blaine's always been it for me, I, unlike him, didn't need to play the field before I settled down" he laughed "Been in love many times, not reciprocated I might add" he looked at Mercy "And only been married once, still married and will always be married" Kurt snapped

"I was a bit more promiscuous before we got together" Blaine told everyone

"How do you feel about that?" Matt asked Kurt

"Oh it was all before me, and we got tested" Kurt snapped

"Of course you guys met on set" Tina remembered "My set"

"Yeah" Blaine laughed

"It was all meant to be make believe, not a reality" Tina laughed

"Well it became our reality, thank you very much" Kurt smiled at her "And we're still very much in love" he looked at his husband

"I think that might be the second time tonight I've actually heard that word used" Mercy commented

"I loved Santana" Brittany told them "I don't have a story, Santana and I have always been in love, we met in school, got married when we finished college and I don't know that we regretted a minute of our lives together"

"That's nice" Sarcasm dripping from the words Mercy managed to get out "So there's never been anyone else for you except Santana?"

"No"

"No one you ever lusted over?"

"No" Brittany camera smiled

Mercy looked around the table, that was definitely the last joke these bitches were going to have on her "Okay, Matt?" Mercy asked

"Lots of hook ups, Rachel, Brittany, Santana and Quinn included" he laughed "Not all at the same time" 

"Sam?" Mercy snapped eager to get to her point 

"Sure" he sat up "Quinn was my first girlfriend"

"Quinn?" Artie asked pointing at his soon to be wife "You never said" he looked at her 

"We were kids we barely kissed" Quinn giggled 

"But you've wanted more ever since, haven't you?" Mercy asked 

"No"

"Don't even try to lie about it" Mercy snapped at her "Why have you kept in contact with him all these years?"

"We're friends"

"A friend that's had to be put in her place, several times"

"Hoe" Tina hissed

"Why didn't you say?" Artie asked her

"It wasn't anything important"

"She's right about that" Sam laughed

"And Brittany who's been in love with Santana her whole life" Mercy turned to look at her sat next to Sam "Also forget to mention a relationship with Sam, even after she got pregnant for him it wasn't worth mentioning" 

"Pregnant?" Tina and Kurt screeched at the same time

"I told you he was foul" Kurt looked at Mercy shaking his head

"You told her about us?" Brittany looked at him shocked

"Yeah" he replied "Did you ever tell Santana?"

"Yeah" Brittany told him "That's why she set you up for Kurt's boyfriend in the show"

"Figures" he nodded 

"So have you just had your harem hanging around my girl all these years?" Tina asked angry

"No way" Sam held his hand up "I've kept contact with Quinn, as a friend"

"Well, I've been telling him for years to come clean, he takes promises too seriously" Quinn shook her head telling everyone

"Not all promises, just the ones I make to my wife" Sam corrected her

"Well you know what?" Mercy looked around the table determined not to get upset "I accept Sam had a past before we met" she looked around the table "We all do don't we?"

"Damn straight" Tina hissed still angry at what she'd hear

"And I love all the sharing about the past, but what I'm concerned about right now is the present" she looked at Brittany

""What are you looking at me for?" Brittany asked her

"Because I'm sitting here wondering how the fuck you manage to be a grieving, marriage wreaking bitch?" Mercy spat at her

"Mercy" Rachel hissed, looking at Quinn

"Tell me what the hell you were doing in our home last week, making suggestions to my husband?" Mercy stood up asking her

"What?" she stuttered looking around the table for help "I wasn't making any suggestions, I..."

"Sorry let me correct myself" Mercy slammed her fist on the table "You literally offered yourself to him, begged him to make you the one, anything coming back?"

"OMG Mercy slap, it, down, slap that bitch down" Tina sat shaking her head

"I was in a bad place, I was grieving"

"Bitch this right here is a bad place" Tina's voice kept popping up answering the responses

"Don't even pull that damn card" Mercy shook her head "Grieving so hard you had time to stop and make a few passes at my husband, you came here for that reason, admit it"

"Mercy" Kurt hissed at her "She's grieving"

"We're all fucking grieving Kurt, we all lost someone"

"But she lost her life partner" Quinn told Mercy "We know how that feels"

"And you can shut the fuck up as well, sitting there pretending you're all loved up with Artie" she looked at Artie "She's been after Sam since before the day I met her, and don't deny it"

"What?" Artie asked 

"We're friends, you know we're friends" Quinn told him 

"A friend you wished gave you benefits" Mercy huffed 

"Well don't worry he's been the faithful husband" Quinn snapped 

"Not for the want to you trying though" Brittany told her 

"Well you can fend for your damn self" Quinn told her regretting ever trying to defend the girl 

"I refused to believe that you're grieving Britt, you don't grieve and come into someone's home and offer yourself to their husband, your fucking trifling" Mercy watched Brittany get up ready to leave "And that damn dress you've got on get's shorter by the week, are you selling something?" she asked "Because if he wants something different, I have enough money to buy him something more upmarket, and it won't be you bitch"

"Shank that bitch" Tina hissed, her lips thin with anger for her friends situation, jeering Mercy to go further

"Why are you attacking me like this?" Brittany shouted at her

"Because you're foul" Mercy snapped at her, Sam sat looking at the cameras

"I'm foul?" Brittany asked shocked

"Yep foul and trifling" Tina nodded

"Why because I see something I want and go for it, what makes you think he needs someone like you, a yes girl, no mind of her own, living for the day he comes home and forces himself to touch you"

"Did she just call herself a hoe?" Tina looked at Mike asking

"And you know that to be fact because?"

"Just look at his track record" she pointed at Quinn and herself "He's settled Mercy, get over yourself, if something better came along he'd be gone like a shot"

"Oh no, she did not just fucking take this there" Kurt covered his mouth to hide the swear he'd released

"And that's exactly why he told me about you and your slut behaviour Brittany, because your not the one that's better, so you get over your damn self, find another woman because this man" she tapped Sam's chest "Don't want you" Sam had reached his point, he wanted Brittany out, but Mercy's hand pushed him to sit down

"But I.." Brittany didn't have anything to defend on that, he was still sitting there with his wife and family and she was still begging him to leave them

"What is it you really want Brittany?" she hissed in frustration for her not giving any real reason

"Can we all just calm everything down?" Matt finally got up asking

"Calm down, is that all you got?" Tina asked "These bitches need bathing in a bath of bleach or something"

"I'm not surprised she thinks her behaviour if freaking normal with the stories I've heard tonight" Mike shook his head

"At our school, this nasty shit only happened with the popular girls" Tina told everyone

"Brittany" Matt tried to grab the conversation back "You played a game and you lost, own up to your shit and do better" he told her "People we are live, please"

"True word" Artie held his hand up in acknowledgement

"Just apologise and sit your ass down" Rachel hissed at Brittany, everyone watched in silence while Brittany fought her mind before sitting down, accepting defeat

"We have another 10 minutes airtime, so **one way of another** we need to find something civil to talk about" Sam told everyone

"You didn't even stick up for her" Quinn hissed at Sam

"And say what?" he asked "That it's alright to come on to me, and worse still, in my family home?" he huffed "Because it's not alright to destroy my family, it's not alright to come into our home and pretend to be something else to my wife, it's not alright Quinn"

"I didn't actually say it was alright" Quinn told him

"I know you, you're trying to make me feel guilty for what she brought on herself" he told her 

"You knew that was coming" Rachel hissed at him

"Actually he didn't" Mercy sat down, ready to carry on "Neither did I, and maybe if you'd all been truthful in the first place" her eyes meeting everyone around the table "We wouldn't be here right now"

"So this word love" Blaine cut the guilty silence

"I just want to say" Brittany took control of the table "I'm sorry, call it a moment of madness or something, I guess losing Santana felt like I'd lost everything, the time I'd spent with Sam all those years ago brought back that feeling of security" she looked into Mercy's eyes "I was way off on what I did, and I promise it will never happen again"

"That's a good start" Blaine told her

"So in answer to Blaine's question" Matt looked around the table "I'd never get married for anything other than love"

"Thank you Matt" Blaine laughed "At least someone was listening"

"I do love Jessie" Rachel told them "He's rarely home, but when he is, he makes up for it, if you know what I mean?"

"The lust and sex kick in" Matt laughing

"Oh it's love, lust and sex all the way for me" Artie told everyone "I love my soon to be wife and she loves me, I'm sure in that" he looked at Quinn nodding agreement "We just need Beth to be on board with it and then we're good"

"Love all the way for us" Mike kissed Tina smiling 

"I hear that, I want that" Matt smiled 

"So what's the few words of wisdom for the viewers?" Sam asked "I know mine is to always be truthful in your relationship, it never pays to keep secrets" he grabbed Mercy's hand 

"I guess mine would be to do it for love, anything else will never last" Quinn told the camera

"Let me see" Matt sat thinking "I think you should approach someone else's heart as if it's your own" he said satisfied with his final thoughts

"I think it doesn't hurt to try for love until you find it, but the hard part, is recognising it when it comes, and treating it with respect" Rachel told the camera

"Love like there's no tomorrow every damn day" Brittany offered

"In order to be loved, you need to love" Artie smiled hugging Quinn

""For me, love, lust and sex, are all good, but the greatest of these is love, it brings the other two in abundance" Mercy looked at Sam "And those eyes on me like that" she giggled "Every time"

"I personally can't put it into words, loving, and being loved, is everything I need" Sam told them

"Good sex" Blaine laughed

"Trust you to bring the tone down" Kurt laughed

"I have a closing song" Blaine told everyone jumping up to get on stage "Join in when you need to, everyone should know the song" he laughed **"It's Nobody's love by Maroon 5"** he told them

"Maybe just a verse" Sam told him checking the time, while Blaine Matt and Artie took over the stage, everyone dancing in their chairs to the song

"It's been a rollercoaster of a show, but at least everything is in the open, maybe we can get back to being friends again, maybe not, you'll have to wait till next week to find out if that's the case I'm afraid" Mercy warned

"So join us next week, maybe there'll be something special for our last episode people, goodnight" Sam waved

"Goodnight" everyone echoed, leaning back in their chairs to listen to the rest of the song, until the camera faded out

**End of Purple Table Talk**

"Talk about blindsided" Rachel huffed "That was definitely the best one so far" she frowned "Jessie's going to have questions"

"Shits gonna hit for you" Matt laughed

"I got to go" she looked at her purse, hearing her ringing phone "Next week" she got up, grabbing her coat and keys, ready to talk to her husband

"Are you alright Mercy?" Tina stood having a conversation with her friend about the events of the evening

"I'm fine, we sorted our stuff out in the week, we're good"

"What are you going to do about Brittany?"

"I really don't know, before this I asked Sam to ditch his friends, but that's not fair, we'll talk I guess, sort it out"

"Mercy" Brittany called after her

"I'll see you next week, I can't look at that bitch right now" Tina told her, kissing her cheek

"Sorry, I just want to apologise, I'd understand if you didn't want me to come back next week, but I promise that was the kick up the ass I needed, I've more than come to my damn senses"

"Everything alright here?" Sam came up behind Mercy asking

"Is everything alright here?" Brittany looked at Mercy asking

"Come back next week Britt, because I stupidly promised Santana I'd look out for you" Mercy rolled her eyes "This isn't forgiven, it's too soon, but I keep my damn promises"

"Thank you" Brittany smiled at her "Promise, I won't ever let you down again" she giggled with tears rolling down her face "Bye" she looked from Mercy to Sam before making her way to the front door, everyone leaving at the same time

"I'm ready for dessert" Mercy stood waiting for Sam to close the front door

"So am I" he walked towards her laughing "What a session"

"You thought that one was rough, hold on for this ride babe" she grabbed his shirt and pulled him up the stairs 

"Mercy Evans is back" he laughed 


	6. Shake It Out

**The Purple Table Talk**

**Session 4**

**Shake It Out**

The week had started nicely, Sunday they'd spent in bed until dinner, after which they'd relaxed by the pool, followed by a late evening swim and back to bed to exhaust themselves.

Monday morning they woke up to a hurricane, having caught Pat and Jones arguing in the kitchen they'd eventually found out about the medication Pat had been taking, the tests he'd had for his heart and liver, and went into panic mode. Tuesday was all about tests on both Dad's revealing diabetes for Jones and mini heart attack for Pat, all three left with the task of calming Mercy down, eventually agreeing to a live in nurse. 

They spent Wednesday interviewing, eventually appointing Edith that evening to start on Friday, the spare room, in the annex where they lived was prepared for her. Following Jones' revelation about the children knowing, they were summoned for a meeting on Friday night.

It wasn't a purple table talk, there was going to be nothing equal about this conversation, Sam and Mercy weren't happy that the children knew Pat was on medication. Gen and Riya did some quick talking eventually their parents understood the difficult situation they'd been put in. The whole thing ending with some strong words from Sam, before the Dad's burst out laughing with raised eyebrows, when the 40 year old Edith walk towards them

Saturday found them looking tired "So this is the last show?" Riya sat on her parents bed watching them finish off getting dressed

"You know it is" Mercy replied

"What's up?" Sam asked

"Dad" Riya looked at him stood looking at himself in the long mirror "I'm thinking of singing as a career, what do you think?"

"That you already know it's not all glamour, that you have to be serious about it, commitment through the roof, and that you're good enough"

"Mom?"

"Same as your Dad, except come to one of us when you're looking for a manager" they weren't surprised at her announcement, of all of their children, Riya had shown the most commitment to her vocals, she'd always sang even as a baby, they all had a voice, but Leif had moved onto the guitar, he'd play for hours with his Dad as a child, as a teenager he said it fitted in better with his football,

Gen was killer on a set of drums, acting was a tough business, he'd chosen it when he was 12 years old, so they all knew there were bound to be times when banging a drum was the only way to express himself. Nour was vocal in other ways, her thing was science, but she did have a noteworthy singing voice too, and when she wasn't being opinionated she used her breath to play the saxophone for fun, but for some reason she'd just never fancied the life that came with being an artist

"We're fine with you being you Yaya" Sam smiled at her "Grab your brother and sister, and let's go before we go back to bed" they spent the morning and most of the afternoon buying the children their new uniforms

By late afternoon the twins were getting their clothes packed to go off to a summer teen break for a week before school started back, their phone alight with excited chat about the coming event. Sam had agreed to them going for the week as long as they buckled down to do grown up studies, Gen had gone with Math while Nour was focusing on Chemistry, a subject she couldn't argue with.

Leif still hadn't said, but they knew there was a girl up in Los Angeles, he'd gone back and forth all holiday and decided to return nearly two weeks early, the journey was only half an hour from home, yet he'd argued for his apartment nearby, which was already set up and his books brought

They were getting ready for their last Saturday evening session "You look nice Mom" Riya walked into their bedroom, looking at her Mom, in a purple figure hugging dress

"Thanks" she smiled straightening her dress

"Ready?" Sam asked

"Yeah" Mercy walked over to him "Don't forget Kurt, Qunn, Rachel and co, need to get off as soon as the show finishes"

"I'll remind them, what's this special thing we're doing anyway?" he grabbed her hand to make their way downstairs

"You'll see" she looked at him "I love you Evans"

"I love you right back Evans" he leaned in and kissed her lips lightly, making their way down the stairs and across the hall

"Hi" Mercy smiled at their guests waiting for them in the purple table room

"Hi" everyone called back at them

"I can't believe this is the last one" Rachel frowned

"It's been a blast" Tina told her "But it does mean I'm back to work with these dysfunctional people next week" she laughed

"We all are" Kurt frowned

"So let's make this one count, make it fun" Sam showed everyone the table

"Guy's I thought we'd get the Dad's in tonight as adjudicators" Mercy announced, watching them look suspiciously at each other "Nothing untoward just a quiz or two" she laughed

"Games?" Sam's face lit up

"Your thing" Kurt asked laughing

"Yep" he laughed, sitting down "Camera's roll" he told the cameraman, watching everyone quickly take their seat

**The Purple Table Talk**

"Hello everyone" Mercy smiled "Sadly it's our last session, holidays are up for us, we're sad to go, but I'm sure everyone will give you a taste of what's next for them so you can follow, go see, whatever it is you like to do. Tonight we have Pat and Jones with us, there are going to be games, I hope they'll keep us on the straight and narrow, lots of competitive souls in the room" she laughed "I thought the guys could open the show tonight"

"How about a heads up?" Blaine asked getting up

"Pick something" she giggled, watching Sam walk across to the small stage

"Okay" Sam pick up his guitar, Matt laughed watching "Everybody remember my first hit?" he asked the guys

"You sing it often enough" Blaine laughed, the music started and they stood singing their rendition of **'Everybody Wants You' by Johnny Orlando**

_**Sam:** I've been trying to fake it, can't take another minute, I look at them look at you, wonder who you're gonna choose_   
_**Matt:** You're the main attraction, the second that you walked in, every drink is bought for you, I know that means a lot to you_

_**Artie (All):** And I wish that you would look at me, the way you're looking at your own reflection (Your reflection)_   
_Now everybody's watching you, and I can tell you're loving the attention_

**Chorus**   
_**All:** You and I both know, they want to take you home, don't know what I'm gon' do, na, na, na, cause everybody wants you, na, na, na_  
 _We're running out of time, so if I'm on your mind, tell me what you're gon' do, na, na, na, cause everybody wants you, na, na, na_

_**Blaine:** I know that it's selfish, the way that I get jealous, every time they talk to you, I know they're gonna fall for you_

_**Sam:** Been doing all the same shit (Same shit), sticking to the rules, you don't take risks, doing what you're supposed to do, I'm just trying get close to you_

_**Artie (All):** And I wish that you would look at me, he way you're looking at your own reflection (Your reflection)_   
_Now everybody's watching you, and I can tell you're loving the attention_

_Chrous_

_**Mike:** They want you, yeah, everybody wants you, na, na, na_

_Chorus X 1 **Sam** x 2 **All**_

"I know what present I want for our 25th" he smiled at her finding his seat "I want to renew our vows"

"We'll talk about..."

"No" he told her "We're renewing our vows, so get ready for it"

"Yes Sir" she giggled "As I said tonight's a bit different we're keeping it light but informative, so you guys can learn some stuff about us, we have some questions from viewers we want to get in, some general some intrusive but we'll see who tells what" she laughed "And to make it fair the Dad's will be asking the questions" she giggled "Okay, let's do this, Dad" she looked at Pat smiling

"Okay, jumping in, this ones for Kurt" Pat looked at Kurt smiling "It says; Kurt's so proper I wonder if he eats two different foods at the same time, if he does what's his favourite food combination?"

"Seriously" Kurt laughed "I eat food together" he chuckled "I'd have to say... a giant burger with all the trimmings and an extra serving of mayo to go"

"Okay" Jones laughed at Kurt's answer "I didn't see that coming either" he told the camera "A fan wanted to ask Rachel, if the world was populated with clones of you what would the world look like?"

"Beautifully annoying" Matt laughed

"Half right Matt" Rachel laughed "I think it would be unbearable, I don't think I could stand everyone never being wrong"

"Really?" Quinn asked raising an eyebrow "You're always wrong" she laughed

"This is appropriate" Pat smiled "Brittany fan question, do aliens exist?"

"Of course they do, what kind of question is that, I mean everyone knows they exist, it's been scientifically proved, hasn't anyone watched men in black?" she held her hands up asking the question

"Okay Britt" Matt held his hand up "You just proved aliens exist"

"Thanks" she smiled at him, watching him shake his head at taking his insult for a compliment

"Matt" Jones called catching his attention "This one's for you, personal pick" he told him "What movie could you watch forever?"

"Oh easy Matrix"

"That's going to be Twighlight for me" Quinn told everyone

"Easily Avatar" Sam added "I speak the language, it makes sense to me"

"Funny Girl" Rachel put in

"Is that a movie too?" Pat asked "Mercy, this one's for you, what's the worst thing you could hear just before going under aesthetic?"

"Shit I don't remember the procedure, maybe" Mercy laughed

"Or are you actually a surgeon" Tina laughed

"No that's not even funny" Artie refused to laugh "That sort of happened to me once"

"Tina" Jones giggled, turning to ask a question "What makes you roll your eyes every time you hear it?"

"The word No" she laughed

"That's so true" Mercy laughed

"Rachel's voice" Brittany added "Sorry Rachel, but it does"

"It's fine" Rachel fanned the comment off "Because your a freaking alien, and last I looked your vote don't count"

"Snap" Tina hissed, she hadn't quite got to the forgiving point Mercy had with Brittany yet

"Quinn" Pat closed the brewing exchange "This is a fan question for you" he looked across the table at her "What goal do you think humanity isn't focused on enough?"

"What am I a damn Miss America runner up or something, world peace?" she asked laughed "Actually that couldn't be truer in the current climate, equality, freedom, truth, on the whole I'd say social awareness"

"I like the sound of that" Artie squeezed her hand

"Sam" Jones smiled "If someone had to narrate your life, who would you want it to be?"

"Oh, it would have to be someone who truly knew me, if not Mercy, the children no doubt" he laughed "Outsiders should be listening thinking, who the hell are they talking about"

"Soft in the middle" Mercy tapped his chest "Candyman"

"I'd imagine someone like Jim Carey as the mask doing it" Artie laughed

"Oh, Kevin Heart all the way" Mike laughed

"For sure" Mercy laughed "Any one of them would be good"

"You don't want to do it?" Sam asked

"Sure I'd love to, but I plan on leaving this place like five minutes after you so... I'm booked" she laughed

"Mike" Pat called order "Sorry about this fan question" he shrugged his shoulders "Which naps are the most satisfying?"

"Those 2 hours ones I get after a hard days work" he laughed

"Know them well" Sam nodded "We've fell asleep on the phone to each other during the day before now"

"Artie" Jones interrupted "Fan requested question, a bit sneaky, they want to know what qualities do all your friends have in common?"

"All of them" he looked around the table "I'd have to say acceptance, we all do shit to each other all the time, but we accept that that's who we are, learn from it, put it in a box and carry on"

"That's so true" Brittany smiled at Mercy "Acceptance, I like that"

"I guess this is the last one of the round" Pat announced "And it's for Blaine, this fan thinks it's a done answer but they want to know, as you're always smartly dressed with nothing out of place, do you like things to be carefully planned or do you prefer to just go?"

"Oh there has to be planning" he laughed "But it's not me, it's Kurt, even if it's a second before we do whatever it is, he needs a plan"

"What even in the bedroom?" Brittany asked

"No" Blaine laughed "Who plans bedroom time?"

"Well... " Mercy looked at Sam "Close your ears" she fanned the Dads "We used to have to, when the children were younger"

"We did too, Finn and I that is, when Angel and Connor were small, you have to, don't you"

"Put a lock on the damn door" Brittany told them

"And what, leave the children running wild on the other side of it?" Mercy asked wide eyed

"A few bumps never hurt anyone" Brittany replied

"Okay, babysitter crossed off her list" Rachel whispered loudly

"What's the score" Mercy asked Pat

"Even Steven at the moment, everyone answered their question" he replied

"Hopefully some lucky listeners got their questions answered, we'll do some more later on" Mercy looked into the camera "The viewers thought that some of the topics didn't get closure and I wanted to use a few minutes here just to wrap everything up"

"So the first session was about Racism if I remember rightly" Sam looked around the table "Sparked by something Rachel had said to a cast member"

"Yeah Jane, I really didn't think I was racist until I was pulled up about it" Rachel told everyone "I was utterly disgusted with my behaviour and to be honest, I've tried to reach out to her but I think everything's a bit raw at the minute" she sighed "I'm taking the time to work on myself, I've started reading, donated, joining chat rooms to get an understanding, I guess I got a buzz out of keeping people down, it made me feel like I was that much higher, I have a ways to go, but I've started the journey, it may be too late for Jane and others I've mistreated, but I've started"

"Has it affected your reputation in anyway?" Tina asked

"Definitely, but I'm more concerned with the change that has to happen, not just for myself but for those around me, I still profess I'm more a bitch than a racist, but it's all connected"

"Good for you" Mercy smiled at her "Thanks for sharing"

"Yeah thanks Rachel" Sam echoed "The second one was about remembering our dear friend Santana, Brittany?"

"I wouldn't say I was moving on, that makes me feel so guilty, Santana and I always said we couldn't live without each other and now, here I am" she sighed "But I'm coming to terms with her being gone" Brittany told everyone "She's still that loud voice in my ear telling me things, I still feel her breath on me when I'm in bed at night, I leave the light on in the hope she'll get fed up and turn it off like she used to, and when I wake up and it's still on, it takes just a few seconds less for me to remember she's not there anymore"

"That must be so horrible" Tina sighed

"But, I'm slowly learning there is life after Santana, there has to be because Paige and Grey need me, they're my focus now, they were our focus for a long while and now it's frightening that I'm totally responsible for them, they're scared I might leave them too"

"I think that's a normal feeling for children" Rachel told her

"Except with Beth" Quinn told them

"We'll work on that for as long as it takes" Artie squeezed her arm

"Good for you" Sam smiled

"Last week went a bit off the rails, it was supposed to be about relationships, then you nasty asses took that somewhere it didn't need to go, everyone got first hand experience of how our little group works, I think Artie said it perfectly when he said acceptance" Mercy smiled at Artie "And me and my girl are cool again, she learned a boundary and I learned to defend" she looked at Brittany "And I'm glad we're focused on Santana again"

"Me too" Brittany smiled at her 

"I guess I learned about the release of being honest" Sam looked around the table "We didn't share this but after that second show, we went through a bit of a rough patch, it was around a promise I'd made and me being asked to break it, which is a hard thing for me to do, but it was for the good of our relationship, all I'm saying is we had a family intervention, and we're back were we need to be as a family" he laughed "But I guess we could have labelled it confessions"

"Yeah I think we heard about the love lives of all the ladies, all grown and settled now thankfully" Matt smiled "And for the record, I'm a single man right now, no ties, and I might be looking at some point in the near future" he looked into the camera

"So anyone else want to share their lesson from the sessions?" Mercy asked

"I guess with Artie's acceptance comment I need to come clean to my bestie" Kurt sat up and grabbed Blaine's hand "I had a massive crush on Sam, when he came to audition, I thought he was gay and to be honest, I was gutted when I found out he was your husband, and guilt, through the roof" he confessed, Blaine squeezed his hand

"Old news" Mercy laughed

"You knew?" Kurt laughed

"You do know it was never going to happen?" Sam asked

"The very minute you introduced my girl to me as your wife, but it didn't stop it hurting"

"Honesty" Mercy held her hand up "We laughed about it for about two days and never thought about it again, I could see your intentions on your face"

"You could always read me well" he giggled

"I think this is a safe place to take a break" Sam announced "Take five" he told the camera

**The Comfort Break**

"About our vows" Sam whispered in her ear

"It's like three years away" she laughed

"Two and a half actually, I want to do something spectacular"

"Knock yourself out" she told him, he was acting as if he was going to allow her to reign him in, when they both knew Sam was going to do what Sam wanted to do in the end

"Mom" they heard, turning both their heads

"Leif" Sam jumped up "What's happened?" both of their faces alarmed

"Nothing, I just need to do this" he called someone across "She doesn't think I'm serous about our relationship because she hasn't met you guys, I'm proving a point, this is..."

"Amandla Stenberg, the feminist" Mercy finished for him "Pleasure to meet you" she smiled, more than impressed

"Mr and Mrs Evans it's such a pleasure to finally meet you" Amandla spat out nervously

"It's Sam and Mercy when we're home" Sam smiled shaking her hand

"Do you believe me now?" Leif asked his girlfriend

"Leif" she gasped for him putting her on the spot

"We're in the middle of this show sweet" Mercy looked around the room at everyone having their own conversations, "Hang around, and we'll get to know each other" she looked at Amandla smiling

"I'd love that, thank you" Amandla smiled, grabbing Leif's hand smiling at Mercy

"Great, grab a seat" Mercy pointed to the couches near the snacks

"Can we" Nour popped her head around the door, grabbing Amandla's hand

"Come on then, seeing as it's the last one" Sam laughed at the rest of the children's heads appearing

"But be quiet" Mercy warned

"Ready everyone" Sam asked walking back to the purple table "We were right" he whispered to Mercy "Children in the room" he announced sitting down 

"Dad" Leif laughed, grabbing Amandla's hand "Not so much children anymore"

"Well my girls are in the room" Sam snapped

"What about Gen?" Nour asked, snapping that back at her Mom's look "I'll never understand why this family has one rule for boys and another for us girls" she muttered walking across to the food with her siblings

**The Purple Table Talk**

"Okay" Mercy nodded for the camera's to start rolling again "Some of us are going to have a bash at an alternative to my old friend Terrell's Song association game, twist is, you won't know who until one of the Dad's say your name" she laughed

"Gosh" Kurt huffed "Talk about on the spot"

"Okay everyone ready?" Mercy called over the noise "And Go" she pointed to her Dad

"Okay" Jones smiled "Here goes everyone has 10 seconds, and we don't want to hear the same song twice, no conferring" he looked around the table "So Artie and Quinn 10 seconds, and your word is Love"

"Duets?" Artie gasped, looking at Quinn, everything's rushing to my head" he held his head humming "Oh" he looked up at her " **Endless Love' by Lionel Richie & Diana Ross"** he told her smiling when she stopped panicking and sung

 _ **"And, yes.."** _he quickly joined in 

_**"You'll be the only one, cause no one can deny, this love I have inside, and I'll give it all to you"**_ they both sang _  
_

_**"My love"**_ he held his heart 

_**"My love, my love"**_ she sang back at him

 ** _"My endless love"_** they ended to a round of applause 

"Two points, Matt and Brittany your word is Always, 10 seconds" Pat laughed

"Shit aarrhh" he looked at Brittany "Anything?" 

"I.. **_Baby .._** she nodded trying to get the beat

 _ **"I'm not always there when you call, but I'm always on time, and I gave you my all, now baby be mine**_ **'** he joined in smiling at her choice **Always On Time' by Ashanti & Ja Rule **thanks for that" 

"Two pointes, total luck" Jones laughed "Blaine and Kurt your word is Love, 10 seconds" he told them

"I'm not ready" Kurt screeched "Mmm" he looked at Blaine 

_**"California love"**_ Blaine blasted out **_"California.."_**

 ** _"Know how to party"_** Kurt joined in laughing _**"In the city of L.A, in the city of good ol' Watts, in the city, the city of Compton, we keep it rockin', we keep it rockin'..."**_ **'California Love' by 2Pac, Roger & Dr Dre**

"With a second to spare, two points" Pat laughed "Tina and Mike your word is Always" Pat called

 ** _"Girl you are to me, all that a woman should be, and I dedicate my life to you always..."_** Mike sang smiling for bringing his game 

**_"A love like yours is grand, it must have been sent from up above"_ **Tina sang back

 _ **"And I know you'll stay this way, for always"** _they sang to each other **'Always' by Atlanta**

"You were ready" Jones laughed "Two points" he looked at Rachel "Apparently you're special you get to sing alone, your word is You"

"Too easy" she giggled getting up to perform her rendition of **'Still Falling For You' by Ellie Goulding**

"I guess you earned your two points with that" Pat nodded "Last one's for the hosts Sam and Mercy, your word is Too, 10 seconds" Pat told him

"Is that even a word?" Mercy laughed "Cheat"

"Clocks Ticking" Jones told her

**_"Whoa, oh yeah"_** he clicked his fingers trying to get the tune, smiling when Mercy started singing **'One Too Many' by Keith Urban & Pink**

**I go out with some new friends, but it just makes me miss you more, more**   
_**I spent all my money drinking on my own, yeah, in this bar, just sat here staring at my phone** _   
_**And I keep second guessing, where did I go wrong? I know I'm proud, but I've had one too many, come take me home** _

"Take a two for that" Pat flicked the papers into the air "That's it everyone scored"

"There's no competition" Jones announced "I want to see competition"

"Okay everyone, I guess we could maybe get some questions from our listeners before sharing next steps and doing something special for our final sing out" Mercy told the camera "Dad?"

"Okay this is where you can generate points, compete people" Jones told them "We have five teams one is; Mercy, Sam, two is; Blaine Kurt, three is; Rachel, Brittany and Matt, fourth; is Tina and Mike and fifth is; Artie and Quinn "Three, two, one" he waved his hand "name three of the richest actresses in the world?" he looked up "Rachel"

"Sandra Bullock, Jessica Parker and Jami Gertz"

"Wrong" he looked around the table "Kurt"

"Sandra Bullock, Jami Gertz and Jessica Alba"

"Correct" "What's the name of the monkey in the film Aladdin?" "Sam"

"Abu"

"Correct" "When you have nothing, you have nothing to lose is the dialogue from..., Kurt?"

"Titanic"

"Correct" "In 2010 which movie won the Academy... Artie?"

"The Hurt Locker"

"Correct" " Which country was the third to become and independent atomic power?.. Kurt"

"America?"

"Wrong, Sam?"

"Britain?"

"Correct" ""When was Russia founded as a country?"

"Where the hell?" Matt asked of the questions

"1960s?" Rachel guessed

"Wrong, anyone?" "Next question; When was the Euro introduced?"

"The what?" Brittany gasped

"Guessing 1999 for fun" Sam laughed

"Correct" "How many times do smartphone users touch their screens each day?"

"700" Artie offered, frowning at Pat's shaking head

"450" Sam offered to no response

"1500" Kurt offered, still no response

"2500" Rachel offered

"2700 times a day would you believe, Rachel you get the point for that one" Pat told them

"That's Sam's team 2, Kurt's team 1, Rachel's team 1 and Artie's team 1, Mike's team didn't score" Jones told the table

"A couple of fun viewers questions to ask" Pat announced "Blaine, listener wants to know, why gay guys like bow ties?"

"I wasn't aware they did" he laughed "I like mine because I want to be smart, I don't want something flopping about, getting in my coffee or anything, I love eating running stuff"

"I bet you do" Kurt giggled

"Okay Mercy, this one's for you" Jones laughed before reading the question "What does Sam Evans see in you?"

"Really?" her eyebrows met with the frown "There are so many answers I could give for that question, but I'm going to be nice about it" she looked at Sam "His future" she smiled

"Damn straight" he laughed

"Okay host's team wins and they get to choose the last song of these sessions" Jones told them

"This last question is from quite a few viewers to all of you" Pat smiled "What's about to get much better for each of you?" he looked around the table "Can we start with you Matt, and go round the table?"

"Okay so what's about to get better for me?" he asked himself the question "I'm hosting the new series of Flash and Dance coming up in the fall, I've got a few things going on in the background of that, but I've committed to the four season of the show so I have to choose wisely to work around it" he smiled "I guess it's steady work for what four years which as everyone knows can be a good or a bad thing"

"Okay me next" Artie sat up I'm working on a movie, it's only the second one I'm undertaking in my career so it's a bit scary, a certain someone finally talked me into it. I've given it 18 month prep time, we think it's going to be epic, you might see some familiar faces in it too" he looked around the room 

"And of course we're planning a wedding, getting a child on board with it and finding a new home soon after the wedding" she laughed "But I'm going to take some time out before all that I have a deadline on this book I'm trying to scratch out, but along with that I guess if I'm honest, this relationship with Beth and us has to take priority for me"

"Retired" Jones laughed, looking at Rachel sitting next to him

"I had a new classical album due to come out next month, but I've put a hold on it for now, I have some bridges to build at the minute, hopefully I'll have learned how to be different, and proved that to the followers I have left, maybe win some back, we'll see" she smiled "Also I'm becoming a Grandma soon so.." she squirmed

"It's me next" Mike looked around "I'm about to start shooting on series 16, would you believe it, of the show, I'm still loving it, I get to act, dance and fight all in one show, and I get to stay close to home so it's all good" he looked at Tina

"I don't know why Artie's just said all of that in the singular, it's our joint project, my script and he's bringing it to life as usual" Tina laughed "And to be honest I'm looking forward to going home every night" she grabbed Mike's hand 

"Me" Kurt looked at Tina "I'm opening another chain in the fall, it's the biggest one yet and I'm very nervous about it all, but it has to be done the Hummel-Anderson empire has to grow, I'm also writing another children's book and still in love with this one here"

"All things good for me" Blaine sat up excited "After this well earned months rest, I've just heard this week that I got the part of Justin in the Broadway production of the same name, I am absolutely gassed about it, of course everyone gets tickets to the opening night" he laughed

"I'm doing better by the day I guess" Brittany looked around the table "Every day hurts a little less, not much but a little, I miss Santana like crazy, sometimes I wake up and it doesn't feel real" she frowned "But I have a plan, I've got an audition next week, I plan on getting back into my dance studio, get some classes up and running, maybe move a little closer to it, shake some of that Lopez pressure off for a while, I need to heal"

"It's a plan" Tina told her

"I guess it's me" Sam smiled "I'm off on tour next week, for six weeks, it's a strange time to be leaving home really, just when we've decide it's time to slow down, but you know how it goes, some of these things are booked a year in advance" he looked at Mercy

"And I'm home but busy, it's a well earned rest and with family commitments one of us have to be here, but I'm still in the studio every day, still creating in my spare time and actually looking forward to standing still for a while"

"I'm also retired" Pat laughed "I think that's all you gave us" he looked at Mercy"

"The whole purpose of these sessions was initially to support Brittany, help her come to terms with Santana being gone, talk about our friend and just be close for a while". Sam laughed "I'd actually forgotten how destructive you guys could be" he looked at Rachel, Quinn and Brittany, but it's been fun" he grabbed Mercy's hand "So thank you all for making the time"

"I think we just have enough time for the winners to close the show" Pat reminded them

"Oh yeah" Mercy giggled "The new song?" she asked Sam

"Yeah" he got up with her, grabbing his guitar again "This is a little something we recently put out" he strummed as they sang **'The Fall' by Sam Tsui & India Carney**

"These sessions have really been a fun thing to do, maybe we could coordinate holidays again sometime and do it again" Mercy stood looking at their friends 

"One word" Blaine sat up "If you had to attach a word to these four sessions what would it be?"

"For me that's definitely healing" Brittany offered

"Honesty" Sam threw in

"Boundaries" Quinn put in

"Seriously?" Tina asked shocked

"Self-improvement" Rachel put in

"Stop planning" Kurt laughed

"I have five words sorry" Mercy giggled "Life is too damn short"

"And on that note" Pat laughed "I'm to remind you guys of time again"

"Okay" Mercy sat up "I'd really like the last words of the sessions to be from the beautifully fierce, Santana Lopez-Pierce, some words of hers I loved when she executed them" she giggled to herself "'We're hanging onto Whitney cuz she was incredible and we love her, so don't put your baggage on us' we say the same about you girl, you were incredible, we'll always love you" Mercy looked up "Rest in eternal peace Santana Lopez-Pierce

"Rest in Peace" everyone echoed, watching Brittany walk over to hug Mercy as the camera faded

**End Of Purple Table Talk**

"We should do more sessions, not so charged though" Quinn laughed

"What's the point if there's no drama?" Rachel asked

"I do know Santana would have chewed my ass for going at Britt the way I did" Mercy told them, hugging Brittany

"I needed that, I was heading to Brittany 8.5" she laughed "Poor Sam"

"But Quinn" Mercy looked at her "Remember I've found my fierce again so don't mess with me, I know your game" Quinn trying to look innocent burst out laughing

"You caught me" she giggled

"Seriously people" Tina got the girls attention "You all need therapy"

"Why?" Brittany asked still laughing

"The damn bed hopping" Tina frowned, wondering why she had to ask

"We're fine" Rachel laughed

"Flights" Kurt mouthed to a busy Mercy

"Shit yeah" she rushed over pulling Sam with her as she passed him "Flights" she reminded him

"I forgot" he tapped Artie's shoulder as they sailed past him "Flight"

"I remembered" Rachel shouted running after them, everyone stood at the door saying their goodbyes as they got in the cars, eventually everyone said their farewell and left

"What did you think?" Mercy asked Sam when he shut the door behind the last guests

"I think that was that, and right now our son's waiting inside for us to make an impression on his lady"

"I like her already" Mercy smiled up at him "I feel nervous knowing our son's actually sleeping with a girl" she giggled "Is that a messed up thought to have?"

" **Shake it out** " he laughed rocking her shoulders "We have to seem like the coolest parents ever right now, I can't have you falling to pieces"

"Do something memorable" she giggled

"Is that a dare?" he laughed, grabbing her hand to go see their children "So" he walked into the room, smiling at Leif "Are you two having sex, or making love?" Mercy looked at him shocked, maybe she should have made her instruction a little more specific

"Dad" Leif's face flashed with embarrassment

"Man to man" Sam laughed looking at Gen "Your turn next"

"Mom" Nour grabbed her Mom's attention "I decided, I can wait for that talk"

"Tomorrow" Mercy told her

**The End**

R.I.P Santana Lopez-Pierce 


End file.
